'Given everything': Ash Barty reveals reasons for sudden retirement
Ash Barty has shocked the tennis world after announcing her retirement from the sport at age 25.
The current World No.1 hasn't played since winning the Australian Open in January and recently announced she wouldn't be playing at Indian Wells or Miami this month.
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On Wednesday she made the bombshell announcement that she's walking away from the sport.
"Today is difficult and filled with emotion for me as I announce my retirement from tennis," Barty wrote on Instagram alongside a video interview with Casey Dellacqua.
"I wasnโt sure how to share this news with you so I asked my good friend Casey Dellacqua 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, Iโll always be grateful for the lifelong memories that we created together."
In the interview Barty said: "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."
Barty previously took a break from tennis in 2014 before returning and becoming one of the best players Australia has ever produced.
However she said this isn't the same situation and she won't be back.
"Iโm so happy and Iโm so ready and I just know at the moment, in my heart for me as a person this is right," she added.
โI know Iโve done this before, but in a very different feeling.
"Iโm so grateful to everything that tennis has given me. Itโs given me all of my dreams, plus more.
"But I know the time is right now for me to step away and chase other dreams and to put the racquets down.โ
The Queenslander said she would provide more details at a press conference on Thursday.
Tennis world in shock over Ash Barty retirement
Barty bows out of the sport with 15 career singles titles and three grand slam trophies.
She has been World No.1 since September of 2019.
The 25-year-old won the French Open in 2019 for her maiden grand slam triumph before winning Wimbledon in 2021 and the Australian Open in 2022.
Barty said she felt like she wanted to retire after fulfilling her lifelong dream of winning Wimbledon.
โItโs something Iโve been thinking about for a long time and Iโve had a lot of incredible moments in my career that have been pivotal moments,โ she told Dellacqua.
โWimbledon 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 Iโve been able to share that with so many incredible people.
โBut to be able to win Wimbledon, which was my dream - the one, true dream I wanted in tennis - that really changed my perspective.
"I just had that gut feeling after Wimbledon and had spoken to my team quite a lot about it.
โThere was just a little part of me that wasnโt quite satisfied, wasnโt quite fulfilled. And then came the challenge of the Australian Open.
โThat for me just feels like the perfect way - my perfect way - to celebrate what an amazing journey my tennis career has been.
โAs a person, this is what I want. I want to chase after some other dreams that Iโve always wanted to do, and always had that really healthy balance, but Iโm really, really excited.โ
She also won 12 doubles titles including the US Open title with Coco Vandeweghe in 2018.
WTA boss Steve Simon said Barty who brought โunwavering professionalism and sportsmanshipโ to every match she played.
โWe wish Ash only the very best and know that she will continue to be a tremendous ambassador for the sport of tennis as she embarks on this new chapter of her life,โ he wrote in a statement.
Fans and commentators have been flocking to social media in shock.
Ash Barty says: "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"
Absolutely devastated by this, but, you have to back her decision. pic.twitter.com/vg3B8jVXUvโ Naaman Zhou (@naamanzhou) March 23, 2022
ash barty going out on top -- classy to the end
โ camvid-19 (@cameronwilson) March 23, 2022
We're in absolute shock, but we wish you the very best Ash. โค๏ธ#9WWOS #Tennis #Barty pic.twitter.com/mXIXkyxu6S
โ Wide World of Sports (@wwos) March 23, 2022
BREAKING - Retirement news, Wow ! Thatโs big and didnโt see it coming, youโre a class act and thankyou @ashbarty a legendary career comes to an end @2GB873 #Drive ๐๐ฆ๐บ ๐พ
โ Jim Wilson (@JimWilsonMedia) March 23, 2022
JUST IN | @ashbarty has announced she is retiring from tennis.
What a player.
What a career.
๐๐๐โ ๐ดโซ๏ธAndy Bombers ๐ดโซ๏ธ (@andy_bombers) March 23, 2022
Ash Barty retiring is such a shock.
She has achieved all that she has wanted to.
A brilliant role model and champion for boys and girls around the world.โ Luke P Gavin โค๏ธ๐๐ (@LukePGavin) March 23, 2022
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