World number one tennis player Ashleigh Barty has left fans reeling by announcing that she will retire from the sport at just 25.
The three-time grand slam winner has been a force to be reckoned with in the women’s game in recent years.
She made history at this year’s Australian Open in January, becoming the first home player to win the Australian Open men’s or women’s singles title in 44 years.
So why is Barty bowing out of the professional game? Read on for everything you need to know about her retirement from tennis.
Why has Ash Barty retired from tennis?
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Barty posted a video to Instagram announcing her decision through a conversation with her close friend and former tennis player Casey Dellacqua on Wednesday (23rd March), revealing that she is quitting the sport in order to “chase after some other dreams”.
She said she was “absolutely spent” and “physically I have nothing more to give”.
“I’m so happy and I’m so ready. I just know at the moment in my heart, for me as a person, this is right,” she said.
“I know that people may not understand it. I’m OK with that. Because I know that Ash Barty the person has so many dreams she wants to chase after that don’t necessarily involve travelling the world, being away from my family, from my home, which is where I’ve always wanted to be.”
She went on to say that she is satisfied with her achievements on the court having won both Wimbledon and the Australian Open in the past 12 months.
She added that becoming the 2021 Wimbledon champion “changed [her] perspective” because, after achieving her “one true dream” in the sport, she still “wasn’t quite satisfied”.
Barty said in the caption to the video there would be “more to come tomorrow” (Thursday 24th March) at a press conference.
How many career titles has Ashleigh Barty won?
As well as bagging 15 singles and 12 doubles trophies, Barty retires as world number one, making her the second Australian player to earn that title with the WTA.
In addition, Barty has won three singles grand slam titles: the French Open in 2019, Wimbledon in 2021 and, most recently the Australian Open, making her the first woman to win the title on home soil since Chris O’Neil in 1978.
Thank you, @ashbarty ????
— TennisAustralia (@TennisAustralia) March 23, 2022
World No.1, multiple Grand Slam champion and one of the game’s greatest role models. What a legacy you leave in tennis ✨ pic.twitter.com/q0zsdeXmdK
Barty previously retired from tennis in 2014 and the following year decided to pick up cricket, playing for Brisbane Heat in the Women’s Big Bash League. She returned to tennis in 2016.
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