World no. 1 Ashleigh Barty retires at age 25
Women Tennis Association world number one and 2022 Australian Open winner Ashleigh Barty has announced her shock retirement from Tennis.
The 25-year-old Australian who started her professional career in 2010 announced the decision stating she does not “have the physical drive, the emotional want, and everything it takes to challenge yourself at the very top of the level anymore”.
She said in the announcement in a video accompanied by former doubles partner Casey Dellacqua, “It’s the first time I’ve said it out loud, so it’s hard to say but I’m so happy and I’m so ready”.
“I know I have done this before[referencing her previous break from the sport] but in a very different feeling and I’m so grateful for what tennis has given me, all of my dreams plus more but I know the time is right now for me to step away and to put the rackets down,” she said in the video while doing hard to control her tears.
“It’s something I have been thinking about for a long time and I have had a lot of incredible moments in my career that have been pivotal moments,” she continued.
“And Wimbledon last year changed a lot for me as a person and for me as an athlete when you work so hard, your whole life for one goal, and I’ve been able to share that with so many incredible people.
“There was a perspective shift in me in the second phase of my career that my happiness wasn’t dependent on the results,” the 25-year-old opened up on the reasons for her shock retirement.
‘Success for me is knowing that I’ve given absolutely everything, everything I can. I am fulfilled, I’m happy. And I know how much work it takes to bring the best out of yourself.
Barty explained that she does not have the motivation to put her in shape to continue competing at the highest level.
“I just don’t have that in me anymore. I don’t have the physical drive, the emotional want and everything it takes to challenge yourself at the very top level anymore. I am spent. I just know physically I have nothing more to give and that, for me, is success,” she explained.
She spoke about her dreams for other things outside the sport and posited that people may have difficulty understanding her decision but it is a call she had to make for herself.
“I know that people may not understand it. And that’s OK, I’m OK with that because I know that for me, Ash Barty, the person has so many dreams that she wants to chase after that don’t necessarily involve travelling the world, being away from my family being away from my home, which is where I’ve always wanted to be.
“Now I think it’s important that I get to enjoy the next phase of my life as Ash Barty the person and not Ash Barty the athlete.”
The news of her retirement was confirmed by the WTA whose chairman in a release said, “Ashleigh Barty with her signature slice backhand, complemented by being the ultimate competitor, has always led by example through the unwavering professionalism and sportsmanship she brought to every match…… she has clearly established herself as one the great champions of the WTA”.
The Australian tennis star made a fortune out of the sports during the over 1o years she has been a pro. She has earned over $20 million in prize money and several million also in endorsements. In 2020, she ranked as the no.3 best-paid female athlete just behind Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams in first and second position respectively.
Her victory at the 2019 French Open earned her several endorsement deals which together garnered her #13.1 million with prize money being $10.1 million. She became the first Australian woman to ascend to number one since 1976 and maintained the feat she choked in June 2019 till her retirement.
