In a stunning move, Barty, the No. 1-ranked women's player who won the Australian Open in January announced Wednesday that she was leaving tennis for other pursuits. It's not the first time she's taken a break from tennis but it is the first time she's announced retirement
This file photo taken on January 7, 2022 shows Australian Ashleigh Barty celebrating after defeating Sofia Kenin of the US at the Adelaide International WTA women's singles tennis tournament in Adelaide. - Australian world number one Ashleigh Barty shocked the tennis world by announcing her retirement from the sport on March 23, 2022 at the age of just 25. (Photo by Brenton Edwards/ AFP)
At the top of her sport, Ashleigh Barty is retiring from tennis.
In a stunning move, Barty, the No. 1-ranked women’s player who won her country’s major tournament, the Australian Open, in January, announced Wednesday that she was leaving tennis for other pursuits.
“It was hard,” she said of her decision. “But it’s right and I know, and that brought me a lot of comfort knowing that this is right for me. But I’m very excited.”
Barty, who turns 26 next month, posted a video to Instagram announcing her decision through a conversation with her compatriot Casey Dellacqua, a retired player, one of her closest friends and a former doubles partner. Barty said she also would hold a news conference.
“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.”
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