Tennis World #1 Ash Barty announces retirement
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Women's World #1 Ash Barty (25) surprisingly retired from tennis at age 25 while ranked No. 1. The announcement, made via her instagram account comes less than two months after winning the Australian Open for her third Grand Slam singles title.
In an informal interview with her former doubles partner, Casey Dellacqua, Barty said “I’m so happy and I’m so ready. I just know at the moment, in my heart, for me as a person, this is right".
She no longer feels compelled to do what is required to be the best. “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 announcement is especially surprising given her recent run of success on court, having won 25 of her last 26 matches and three of her past four events.
This is not the first time Barty walked away from tennis. At 15 in 2011, she was the Wimbledon junior champion but left the tour entirely for nearly two years in 2014 because of burnout.
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