‘I’ve given absolutely everything:’ Barty explains her shock retirement from tennis

Ash Barty’s voice shook with emotion as she put into words for the first time the decision she had been contemplating since she won Wimbledon nine months ago – to walk away from tennis at the age of 25 to “chase other dreams”.

Barty, the world No.1 and winner of three grand slam titles, shocked the sporting world on Wednesday when she announced her retirement, effective immediately, walking away from tennis for a second time.

Ashleigh Barty after her Australian Open victory in January. She has announced her retirement from tennis.Credit: Eddie Jim

But this time she retires as one of Australia’s greatest athletes, at the top of her game and as the reigning Wimbledon and Australian Open champion. Barty famously took an indefinite break from the gruelling tennis circuit in 2014 to spend time with her family in Queensland and play cricket in the Women’s Big Bash League.

This exit, she said, felt different. “I know I’ve done this before, but in a very different feeling,” Barty told her close friend and former doubles partner Casey Dellacqua in a video posted on Instagram.

“And I’m so grateful to everything that tennis has given me. 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. And, yeah, and to put the racquets down.”

Because of her youth and her prowess as a multi-talented sportswoman, there is intrigue about whether Barty will pursue a career in cricket, golf or even AFLW. The Barty camp was tight-lipped about whether the door might be ajar to another fairytale tennis comeback, and there was a sense of “never say never”.

But those close to Barty say she has no firm plans for the future other than her marriage to long-time partner Garry Kissick this year.

In her interview with Dellacqua, Barty said she no longer had the “physical drive and emotional want” to do what it would take stay at the top of women’s tennis. She will hold a press conference on Thursday in her home town of Brisbane to elaborate on the reasons for her decision.

She said to retire while holding the Wimbledon and Australian Open trophies “just feels like the most perfect way”.

“There was a perspective shift in me in the second phase of my career that my happiness wasn’t dependent on the results,” Barty said.

“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.”

“To be able to win Wimbledon, which was my dream, my one true dream that I wanted in tennis, that really changed my perspective,” Barty added.

“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, and I think I just know that I’m absolutely I am spent. I just know physically I have nothing more to give.

“I’ve given absolutely everything I can to this beautiful sport of tennis and I’m really happy with that. And for me that that is my success.

“And I know that people may not understand it and that’s OK. I’m OK with that.”

Eyebrows were first raised about Barty’s immediate plans last month when the Australian pulled out of key tournaments held in March in the United States – the Miami Open and Indian Wells in California.

She had committed to a Billie Jean King Cup (formerly the Fed Cup) tie against Slovakia due to be played next month, but that tie was cancelled when Australia earned direct qualification to the finals because the International Tennis Federation threw Russia and Belarus out of the event due to the invasion of Ukraine.

It meant an official Barty swansong, and the chance to farewell the popular Australian on home soil, was no longer possible. Instead, the final match of her career will remain the Australian Open women’s final victory over American Danielle Collins in January, which broke a 44-year drought and will go down as one of the most significant moments in Australian sport.

Credit: Matt Golding

Barty’s idol, close friend and fellow Indigenous trailblazer Evonne Goolagong Cawley backed the decision.

Goolagong Cawley presented the Australian Open trophy to Barty at Melbourne Park only two months ago after the Queenslander ended Australia’s drought in producing a home-grown singles champion dating back to 1977.

“I’m so supportive of Ash and making a decision that is best for her and makes her happy,” Goolagong Cawley said. “I can’t wait to see what the next chapter brings, and to watch Ash achieve her dreams post tennis.”

Fellow Queenslander and two-time US Open champion Pat Rafter said Barty wanted to enjoy life beyond the sport that has earned her more than $32 million in prizemoney.

“Tennis is a part of the journey and we are lucky to play it professionally and it pays well, but you have a career that only lasts for a certain time and while her career could be longer, she decided it is not for her,” Rafter said on 3AW.

“She wants to get married in the next couple of years, possibly have a family. Do the regular things that people do like go to the pub on a Friday night to watch the footy or play golf on the weekend... I’m really happy for her.”

Barty said she had first thought about retirement after her Wimbledon triumph last year, when she became the first Australian woman to win there since Goolagong Cawley in 1980.

“It’s something that I’ve been thinking about for a long time,” Barty said.

“I just had that gut feeling after Wimbledon and had spoken to my team quite a lot about it. There was just a little part of me that wasn’t quite satisfied, wasn’t quite fulfilled.

“Then came the challenges of the Australian Open and I think 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.”

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