The world of tennis is shocked: Australian Ashleigh Barty, number one in the WTA world and winner of three Grand Slam tournaments, surprisingly announced her retirement at the age of 25. Physical and mental exhaustion combined for the drastic decision of a player who was targeted to mark a golden age on the circuit.
“Today is a difficult and emotional day for me as I announce my retirement from tennis.”, begins the statement published by Barty on his Instagram account to report the news. “I wasn’t sure how I was going to share this news with you, so I asked a good friend like Casey Dellacqua for help. I am grateful for everything this sport has given me and I leave feeling proud and fulfilled for everything I have achieved.”added the world number one, along with a video of an interview with the former player and now TV commentator Dellacqua.
“I no longer have the physical drive, the emotional drive or everything else it takes to challenge yourself to the top of the level”, said Barty, who has been number one in the world for more than two years and in January was crowned champion at the last Australian Open. “I know it’s the right thing for me. I’m exhausted. I only know that physically I have nothing more to give and that for me is success, knowing that I have given absolutely everything I could give.” concluded Barty, winner in total of 15 tournaments, in her farewell.
Ashleigh Barty: the number 1 in the world
The tennis player born in the city of Ipswich on April 24, 1996 reached number one in the world at the age of 23 in June 2019 after being crowned champion in Birmingham. The last match Barty played as a professional was the Australian Open final.in which she beat the American Danielle Collins in two sets and she became the first local tennis player to win the tournament in 44 years.
It was the third Grand Slam title for the current world number one in the WTA rankings, after having also lifted the Roland Garros trophy in 2019 and the Wimbledon trophy in 2021.
It’s not the first time Barty leaves tennis, he already did it in 2014as a teenager of 17, to dedicate herself professionally to cricket, before returning to the courts two years later, when she began a dazzling progression that took her to the world throne of women’s tennis.
“It was too fast for me, as I have been traveling from a fairly young age,” said at the time, adding that “I wanted to experience life as a normal teenager and have some normal experiences.”
The year of his definitive takeoff was 2019, when he won his first Grand Slam title in Paris and became number one in the world for the first time, a position he has held for 119 weeks since then.
The impact on Australia
The news, which generated a series of news flashes in the media and became a trend on social networks, prompted the Australian Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, to thank him for inspiring a “nation”, but especially to indigenous youth, due to the aboriginal roots of the athlete.
“World number one, multiple Grand Slam champion and one of the biggest role models in the game. What a legacy you leave behind in tennis…you’ve made all of Australia proud.” paid tribute to him on Twitter Tennis Australia.
“She is an incredible tennis player, but she is even better as a person. A champion in every sense of the world. I’m so proud of you,” former Paralympic tennis player Dylan Alcott, the 2022 Australian of the Year winner, said in a tweet.
Steve Simon, president of the WTA, was surprised by the news and assured that the circuit will greatly miss its best player. “By reaching No. 1 in the world, she has clearly established herself as one of the great champions of the WTA and we wish her the best, we know she isshe will continue to be a tremendous ambassador for the sport of tennis as she embarks on this new chapter of her life. We’ll miss you“said the leader.
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