Ash Barty, number 1 in the world, surprised the tennis world by announcing her retirement from the sport at the age of 25.
An emotional Barty delivered the bombshell news on Wednesday in an interview with Casey Dellacqua via her social media channels.
“Today is hard and full of emotions for me as I announce my retirement from tennis,” Barty wrote in an Instagram post, alongside a video of the interview.
“I was not sure how to share this news with you, so I asked my good friend @caseydellacqua to help me. I am so grateful for all that sport has given me and makes me feel proud and fulfilled.
“Thank you to everyone who supported me along the way, I will always be grateful for the lifelong memories we have created together.”
Barty is leaving the sport at the height of his power, as reigning Australian Open and Wimbledon champion, who has held the world number 1 position since winning the 2019 French Open.
It was the Queenslander’s second come after taking an indefinite break in 2014 while being ranked outside the top 200 because “it was too much for me because I’m on the move from a relatively young age”, and said she wanted to experience life “as a normal teenage girl”.
On Wednesday, she held back tears as she broke the news to Dellacqua in the video.
“This is the first time I’ve said it out loud, and it’s hard to say,” Barty said. “But I’m so happy, and I’m so ready, and I just know the moment in my heart [that] for me as a person this is right.
“I know I did this before, but in a very different feeling, and I’m so grateful for all that tennis has given me – it has given me all my dreams and more.
Barty said she had been thinking of retiring “for a long time” and had “a gut feeling” after winning Wimbledon last year.
“There was only a small part of me who was not completely satisfied, not fully satisfied,” she said. “And then came the challenge of the Australian Open, and I think that for me just feeling the perfect way, my perfect way to celebrate what an amazing journey my tennis career has been.”
Barty has withdrawn from this month’s Indian Wells tournament at the Miami Open, saying she needs to focus on recovering from her exploits at Melbourne Park, with Roland Garros and Wimbledon on the horizon.
“I know how much work it takes to bring out the best in yourself and I’ve told my team a few times, it’s just that I no longer have that in me,” she said. “I do not have the physical drive, the emotional will and everything it takes to challenge yourself to the top of the level anymore.
“I just know that I’m absolute – I’m out – I just know physically that I have nothing left to give. And that’s a success for me. I’ve given absolutely everything I can to this beautiful tennis sport.
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