SYDNEY, Australia — Top-ranked
Ashleigh Barty stunned the tennis world on Wednesday by
retiring from the sport aged just 25, saying she had fulfilled her dreams and
was “spent physically”.
اضافة اعلان
Barty dropped the
bombshell weeks after becoming the first home
Australian Open champion in 44
years, joining only a handful of players to win a Grand Slam on three different
surfaces.
In an emotional
social media video message with her close friend and former doubles partner Casey
Dellacqua, the world number one said she was “so ready” to call it quits after
achieving her life-time ambition of winning Wimbledon last year.
“Success for me is
knowing that I’ve given absolutely everything, everything I can. I’m fulfilled,
I’m happy and I know how much work it takes to bring the best out of yourself,”
said the three-time
Grand Slam winner.
“It’s just I don’t
have that in me anymore. I don’t have the physical drive, the emotional want
and kind of everything it takes to challenge yourself at the very top level
anymore.
“I think I just
know that I’m absolutely, I am spent. I just know physically I had nothing more
to give and that for me is success.”
One of the most
respected and popular players in women’s tennis, Barty also became the best,
with her dizzying array of slices, pinpoint serving and seamless forehand
typifying her all-round game.
Sporting talent
Few athletes can boast such a varied sporting resume as the down-to-earth
Australian.
Barty began
playing tennis as a child in Brisbane and went on to win the junior
Wimbledon
title as a 15-year-old in 2011.
But the
expectations that came with success took their toll and she made a shock
decision three years later to ditch tennis for cricket, signing for Brisbane
Heat in the inaugural Women’s Big Bash League.
But the lure of
tennis was never far away and she returned after a season out, breaking through
for her maiden Grand Slam triumph at the French Open in 2019 and becoming
Australia’s first women’s world number one since Evonne Goolagong Cawley 50
years ago.
Barty finally won
a cherished Wimbledon crown last year before her Australian Open triumph at
Melbourne Park in January, storming back from 5–1 down in the second set
against American Danielle Collins to triumph 6–3, 7–6 (7/2).
“It’s something
I’ve been thinking about for a long time,” she said of retirement.
“To be able to win
Wimbledon, which was my dream, the one true dream that I wanted in tennis that
really changed my perspective. And I just had that gut feeling after Wimbledon
and had spoken to my team quite a lot about it.”
“And there was
just a little part of me that wasn’t quite satisfied, wasn’t quite fulfilled.
And then came the challenge of the Australian Open and I think that for me just
feels like the most perfect way.”
‘No.1 role model’
Praise poured in for Barty as tennis took in the shock announcement.
The
Women’s Tennis Association praised her as “an
incredible ambassador for the sport”.
“For your love of the game thank you @ashbarty for
the incredible mark you’ve left on-court, off-court and in our hearts,” the WTA
said, while Tennis Australia added: “Forever a world number one role model.”
Some of the sport’s top names also paid tribute with
fellow Grand Slam winner Simona Halep tweeting: “Ash, what can I say, you know
I have tears right? My friend, I will miss you on tour.”
British star Andy Murray tweeted that he was happy
for Barty but “gutted for tennis. What a player”.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison thanked her
for “inspiring a country”.
Barty has been world number one for more than two
years and said after her Australian Open win that she wanted time to consider
her next move, withdrawing from the prestigious early season hard-court
tournaments at Indian Wells and Miami.
Late last year she became engaged to long-term boyfriend
Garry Kissick, who was ever-present courtside when she played and often posted
supportive messages on social media.
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