Ranked No. 1, 25-year-old Ash Barty announces retirement, leaves Tennis world in shock
Barty had been at the top of women’s singles rankings for all but four weeks between June 2019 and March 2022 and is a three-time grand slam champion.
Current world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty has announced retirement from Tennis at just 25 years of age just two months after breaking the Australian jinx by becoming the first Australian in 44 years, to win the Australian Open on home ground. She has been a French Open and Wimbledon champion and she also won a bronze medal in the doubles category at Tokyo Olympics.
Currently, she sits at the helm of women’s singles rankings with a massive 7980 points much more than her nearest rival at No.2 who has 5776 points. With these statistics, one can make out the supremacy she holds currently and an announcement of such nature has shocked the entire Tennis fraternity and sports lovers across the globe.
The tennis star made this huge announcement in an Instagram interview with player-turned-commentator Casey Dellacqua. In the interview, Barty can be heard saying that “Success for me is knowing that I’ve given absolutely everything I can. I’m fulfilled, I’m happy, and I know how much work it takes to bring the best out of yourself. And I’ve said it to my team multiple times, I just don’t have that in me anymore”.
In the clip, she said that the decision to retire at such a young age is definitely scary but insisted that she felt it was the right thing to do. She further said that now that the Tennis journey is over, she’s ready “to chase after some other dreams.” Before signing off Barty added, “I don’t have the physical drive, the emotional want and everything it takes to challenge yourself at the very top of the level anymore. I am spent.”
During her career, Ash Barty won 15 singles and 12 doubles titles. She had a 305-102 record in singles and a 200-64 record in doubles with earnings of $23,829,071 as her total career prize money.
