Ash Barty retirement: Australian great walks away from tennis

Ash Barty’s Australian Open success in January was the icing on the cake of an incredible career - but that win very nearly didn’t eventuate. Watch her retirement announcement video here.

Ashleigh Barty has shocked the sports world by quitting tennis.

Barty has decided to announce her retirement on her social media platforms on Wednesday despite being No.1 in the world.

“Today is difficult and filled with emotion for me as I announce my retirement from tennis,” Barty wrote on Instagram.

“I wasn’t sure how to share this news with you so I asked my good friend @caseydellacqua to help me. I am so thankful for everything this sport has given me and leave feeling proud and fulfilled.

Ash Barty announced her retirement with the help of Casey Dellacqua.

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— Herald Sun Sport (@heraldsunsport) March 23, 2022

Ashleigh Barty will retire from tennis at the age of just 25. Picture: Michael Klein.

Ashleigh Barty after winning Wimbledon

“Thank you to everyone who has supported me along the way, I’ll always be grateful for the lifelong memories we created together.

“I know that, I am spent, physically, I don’t have anything more to give.

“I have given everything I can to this beautiful sport...and I’m really happy with that. For me, that is my success.

“I don’t have that in me anymore, I don’t have the physical drive, the emotional want.”

Barty, who has won the Australian Open, Wimbledon and French Open, has climbed every mountain she wanted in her career and will retire at the peak having been the number one player for the past two years.

Barty’s Australian Open success in January was the icing on the cake after she won Wimbledon last year.

Following her success in Melbourne, Barty withdrew from Indian Wells and the Miami Open citing “a need for ongoing recovery after winning the Australian Open”.

Ash Barty was moved to tears when announcing her retirement from tennis.

Her story will remain one of the greatest in Australian sport as the girl who left the game exhausted and played cricket for a summer before returning to win three majors.

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

A statement released by WTA CEO Steve Simon shortly after the announcement said: “Ash Barty with her signature backhand slice complemented by being the ultimate competitor, has always led by example through unwavering professionalism and sportsmanship she brought to every match.

“She has clearly established herself as one of the great champions of the WTA.

“We wish Ash the best and know she will continue to be a great ambassador of the sport.”

BARTY’S ANNOUNCEMENT IN FULL

ASH BARTY: “I will be retiring from tennis.

“It’s the first time I’ve actually said that out loud and yeah, it’s hard to say.

“But I’m so happy and I’m so ready and I just know at the moment in my heart for me as a person, this is right.

“I know I’ve done this before, but in a very different feeling.

“I’m so grateful to everything that tennis has given me. It’s given me all of my dreams, plus more, but I know that the time is right now for me to step away and chase other dreams.

“And to put the rackets down.

CASEY D: Why now?

ASH BARTY:“It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a long time.

“I’ve had a lot of incredible moments in my career that have been pivotal moments. And Wimbledon last year changed a lot for me as a person and for me as an athlete when you work so hard, your whole life for one goal, and I’ve been able to share that with so many incredible people.

“But to be able to win Wimbledon, which was my dream, - the one true dream that I wanted in tennis - that really changed my perspective.

“I just had I just had that gut feeling after Wimbledon and had spoken to my team quite a lot about it.

Ashleigh Barty says she has more dreams to follow

“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 that for me just feels like the most perfect way, my perfect way, to celebrate what an amazing journey my tennis career has been.

“As a person, this is what I want. I want to chase after some other dreams that I’ve always wanted to do.

“I’ve always had that really healthy balance, but I’m really, really excited.

CD: Hard for a lot of people to understand. You’re probably one of the most marketable athletes in the world. How difficult was it to come to this decision?

AB: “There was a perspective shift in me in the second phase of my career that my happiness wasn’t dependent on the results.

“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.

“I just don’t have that in me anymore. I don’t have the physical drive, the emotional want and everything it takes to challenge yourself at the very top level anymore.

Ash Barty has won Wimbledon, the French and Aus Open.

“I am spent. I just know physically I have nothing more to give and that, for me, is success.

“I’ve given absolutely everything I can to this beautiful sport of tennis and I’m really happy with that.

“I know that people may not understand it. And that’s okay, I’m okay with that because I know that for me, Ash Barty, the person has so many dreams that she wants to chase after that don’t necessarily involve traveling the world, being away from my family being away from my home, which is where I’ve always wanted to be.

“I’ll never ever ever stop loving tennis. It’ll always be a massive part of my life.

“But now I think it’s important that I get to enjoy the next phase of my life as Ash Barty the person and not Ash Barty the athlete.

“It was hard but it’s right and I know that brought me lots of comfort knowing that this is right for me.”