This Wednesday is treating us with the most shocking WTA news we could get — top-ranked women’s tennis player Ashleigh Barty, 25, has announced retirement from tennis, having never hinted it would happen in the near future.
At the height of her career, while she’s spending her 121st week at No.1 and missing the Miami Open where she would be defending her title, Barty is dropping the bombshell. The Australian made the announcement in an interview with Casey Dellacqua for NDTV, saying she is leaving in order to “chase after some other dreams”.
“I just know that I am absolutely spent,” Barty stated as she explained how top level tennis requires all your resources and she has nothing more to give, both physically and emotionally.
Barty has won three Grand Slam titles, on all surfaces, including the Australian Open less than two months ago, when she became the first home player in 44 years to triumph at the major.
This is not the first time Barty is quitting tennis, but this is “a very different feeling.” At the end of 2014, Ash Barty put her tennis journey on hold in order to “experience life as a normal teenaged girl.” During this time, Barty took up cricket for a couple of years. Impressively, she was quite successful in the sport and even played in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) where she competed with some of the best women’s cricketers in Australia.
Once 2016 rolled around, Barty was ready to make a comeback in tennis after getting her mind right and showing the world her multi-talents in sport while she was at it. It was in the second phase of her tennis career that Barty won all her 15 singles titles, including Roland Garros 2019, Wimbledon 2021, and Australian Open 2022.
What we can all learn from Barty’s brave decision is to always listen to our gut and do what we feel is right to do at the moment. It is definitely confusing an average person that a tennis player is retiring at still a young age and leaving at the height of their career, but Barty is a champion because she is far from average. There are definitely many more groundbreaking achievements ahead of this wise woman!
Huge respect for this woman, she is a true champion world number 1, multiple grand slam champions (none of those one hit wonders who cant keep their winning consistency).
I kind of wish she retires after US Open, just one more slam for career GS, wouldve been icing on the cake for her amazing fairy tale tennis career.
Ash Barty really retired from tennis as the World #1, reigning AO and Wimbledon champion and on an 11-match winning streak. Very sad, but very iconic as well.
She achieved her dream of Wimbledon, and now she’s off to fulfil her other dreams as well. I was surprised she retired at first, almost sad, but the more I think about the more it makes sense. Ash goes what makes her happy, marches to the beat of her own drum – always has, always will.
She did Australia proud, looking forward to seeing what she does next!
Shock for me! from top spot. she is just 25
peak age for tennis player, usually top form
I guess Novak should do may be the same
because he does not want to get a vaccine at any reason so anyway he will not be able to compete anywhere.
Is it a sense to sit out so long watching other players overcome your ranking?
I would not be surprised if she un-retires at a later date and comes back to try for the cycle of majors. Until then, watch out for her to try and make it on the LPGA. She is a scratch golfer, and Australian golfer Hannah Green has hinted that Ash may be interested.
It must be so hard being away from home for so much of the year, I can really see how she would want to be able to be more settled. I think she probably will have children before too long. She must have enough money to never work again if she doesn’t want to. But yes wouldn’t surprise me if she’s back playing again in a few years either.