'Have No Words': Tennis World Stunned as Top-Ranked Ash Barty Makes Shock Retirement Announcement
11:21 GMT 23.03.2022 (Updated: 11:44 GMT 10.12.2022)
© AP Photo / Mark Baker
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Retirements in any sport are not uncommon. But it is quite rare for an athlete to quit when he or she is the No. 1 player in the world. However, top-ranked women's tennis star Ashleigh Barty did it when she quit the game on Wednesday.
Seven weeks after she became the first native winner of the Australian Open in more than four decades, Ash Barty left the world of sports stunned after announcing her retirement from tennis.
From legends of tennis to current superstars and upcoming youngsters, everyone was in awe of her, while others congratulated her for a stellar career. On the other hand, there were some who were left "gutted" by her decision to bid goodbye to the sport.
While former World No 1 Simona Halep said that she had "tears" in her eyes after hearing the news, former two-time Wimbledon champ Petra Kvitova declared that she had "no words" to describe her feelings before insisting that tennis "will never be the same" after Barty's retirement.
Meanwhile, American great Tracy Austin, a former World No. 1 herself, claimed that she loved Barty's "elegant, athletic style of play" before telling her to "enjoy the next chapter" of her life.
From legends of tennis to current superstars and upcoming youngsters, everyone was in awe of her, while others congratulated her for a stellar career. On the other hand, there were some who were left "gutted" by her decision to bid goodbye to the sport.
While former World No 1 Simona Halep said that she had "tears" in her eyes after hearing the news, former two-time Wimbledon champ Petra Kvitova declared that she had "no words" to describe her feelings before insisting that tennis "will never be the same" after Barty's retirement.
Meanwhile, American great Tracy Austin, a former World No. 1 herself, claimed that she loved Barty's "elegant, athletic style of play" before telling her to "enjoy the next chapter" of her life.
Simona Halep tweet screenshot
© Photo
Petra Kvitova tweet screenshot
Tracy Austin tweet screenshot
© Photo
Darren Cahill tweet screenshot
Australian Open tweet screenshot
© Photo
WTA tweet screenshot
However, the most apt praise of her career came from Darren Cahill, the former coach of men's No. 1s Andre Agassi and Lleyton Hewitt, who called her a "true Aussie legend".
The remarkable part about Barty's announcement, though, was that she has been ranked No. 1 for the past 114 weeks and was all set to hold the position possibly for a few more months, considering No. 2 Iga Swiatek trails her by more than 2,000 points.
Moreover, if Barty hadn't retired, would still have plenty of time left in her career as she would only celebrate her 26th birthday next month.
"Today is difficult and filled with emotion for me as I announce my retirement from tennis," she told her ex-doubles partner Casey Dellacqua in an interview posted on Instagram.
The remarkable part about Barty's announcement, though, was that she has been ranked No. 1 for the past 114 weeks and was all set to hold the position possibly for a few more months, considering No. 2 Iga Swiatek trails her by more than 2,000 points.
Moreover, if Barty hadn't retired, would still have plenty of time left in her career as she would only celebrate her 26th birthday next month.
"Today is difficult and filled with emotion for me as I announce my retirement from tennis," she told her ex-doubles partner Casey Dellacqua in an interview posted on Instagram.
"I don't have the physical drive, the emotional want and everything it takes to challenge yourself at the very top of the level any more. I am spent," the Ipswich-born player added.
Barty bagged three Grand Slam singles trophies, that too on different surfaces. She won the 2019 French Open on clay, last year's Wimbledon on grass and in January, the Australian Open to end a 44-year-wait for a home-grown champion in Melbourne.
