Ash Barty, the world’s best women’s tennis player, left his fans surprised with her unexpected announcement of retiring from the game at the age of 25.
The Australia-based player shared a six-minute video on Instagram to announced the decision just two months after she won the third Grand Slam singles title at the Australian Open.
“Tennis has given me all of my dreams plus more but I know that the time is right now for me to step away,” Barty said.
“I don’t have the physical drive, the emotional want and everything it takes to challenge yourself at the very top level any more. I am spent,” she explained in the short interview.
Winning the 2019 French Open, Barty also bagged victory in Wimbledon and the Australian Open in Melbourne Park last year.
She also earned pride for the country when she became the first Australian player in 44 years to win at her home event in January this year, defeating four US tennis stars.
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“I know that people may not understand it, I’m OK with that,” she said. “I have given everything I can to this beautiful of sport and I’m really happy with that. For me that is my success”.
While explaining reason for her retirement, she said that she wanted to chase other dreams that “don’t necessarily involve traveling the world being away from my family.”
It is pertinent to mention here that Barty announced her engagement to trainee golf professional Garry Kissick in November.
