World number one women's singles tennis player, Ashleigh Barty on Wednesday announced her sudden retirement from tennis. She is only 25. (More Tennis News)
Barty's surprising decision came less than two months after winning the Australian Open for her third Grand Slam singles title.
The Australian tennis star shared a video on Instagram account Wednesday, saying she asked for help from former Australian tennis player Casey Dellacqua in sharing the difficult news.
"Today is difficult and filled with emotion for me as I announce my retirement from tennis. 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. Thank you to everyone who has supported me along the way, I’ll always be grateful for the lifelong memories that we created together," she wrote.
Barty, also a gifted cricketer, turned pro in 2010 and announced her arrival on the international stage by winning the Wimbledon junior crown in 2011 as a 15-year-old.
She then went on to win Grand Slams on three different surfaces — on clay at the 2019 French Open, on grass at Wimbledon in 2021 and on the hard courts of Melbourne Park earlier this year.
She is the first Australian player in 44 years to win the home Grand Slam.
Hailing her as “the ultimate competitor”, WTA CEO Steve Simon said Barty “has always led by example through the unwavering professionalism and sportsmanship she brought to every match.”
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This is not the first time she has walked away from the sport. In 2014, Barty left the WTA tour citing burnout and pressure. During that period, Barty turned up for Brisbane Heat in the Women's Big Bash League. She returned to tennis in May 2016.
