AUSTRALIAN tennis player Ashleigh Barty shocked the sport when she announced her retirement.
The three-time Grand Slam champion decided to call it a day on her career at the age of 25-years-old.
The Australian dominated female tennis prior to her announcement
When did Ashleigh Barty retire from tennis?
Barty shocked the tennis world when she told of her plans to retire from the game, at the peak of her powers.
She announced her decision in March 2023, with the sport visibly shocked by her news.
Why did Ashleigh Barty retire from tennis?
Having won both the Australian Open and Wimbledon in the 12 months prior to her decision, left many wondering what reasons could cause the world no.1 to bow out of the sport.
Barty said that she is satisfied with her achievements out on the court and no longer possesses the physical drive or emotional desire to compete at the top level.
Speaking about her decision, the Australian said “It’s given me all of my dreams possible, but I know that the time is right now for me to step away and chase other dreams.
She went on to say that when setting out in the sport, as most athletes do, there were goals she aimed to achieve.
One such goal was to win Wimbledon, possibly the greatest prize in the sport of tennis.
Having achieved this, it really changed her perspective and after the win she had a gut feeling that this decision was close.
To then go on to deal with the challenges of the Australian Open and triumph, it seemed the perfect swansong to end her career on.
Reflecting on her decision, Barty said “There was a perspective shift in me in this second phase of my career that my happiness wasn’t dependent on the results and 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, 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 any more, and I think I just know that I’m absolutely, I am spent.”
Will Ashleigh Barty ever come back to playing tennis?
In 2014, Barty stepped away from tennis.
After returning to the game, Barty became a three-time Grand Slam champion and reached the top ranking in the world.
But Barty retiring and returning to the game won’t happen again, according to the Australian.
She said “There won’t be another time coming back to tennis, I promise you.
“For me at the moment, I’m loving being off the court and transitioning into this new life – that’s not a new life, it’s just a different one.
“It was a transition that I probably found quite easy and that was a reiteration and reassurance for me that it was the right time to walk away.”
Having achieved all she set out to do in the world of women’s tennis, Barty has said she will return to the Australian Open, just not on centre court.
The ex-world no.1 will be “doing things in the background” as she puts it.
Either way, Ashleigh Barty has had a career to be revelled as she became only the second Australian woman to ever reach the pinnacle of the world rankings.
