An emotional Ash Barty has announced her retirement from tennis saying she no longer has the "physical drive" or "emotional want" to compete at the highest levels of the sport.
Speaking to close friend Casey Dellaqua, the Ngarigo woman and World Number 1 said her perception changed following her Wimbledon win last year.
"[Wimbledon] was my dream, the one true dream that I wanted in tennis. That really changed my perspective. And I just had that gut feeling after Wimbledon and had spoken to my team quite a lot about it," she said.
"There was just a little part of me that wasn't quite satisfied, wasn't quite fulfilled.
"And then came the challenges of the Australian Open, and I think that for me just feels like the most perfect way... to celebrate what an amazing journey my tennis career has been."
Just two months ago, Barty carried the hopes of a nation all the way to a stunning victory in the Australian Open, her third grand-slam victory.
Ash Barty said she wants to chase other dreams and put the racquets down. Source: Instagram: Ash Barty
She become the first woman from this country to win the home tournament since Chris O'Neil in 1978.
Unbeknownst to her legions of fans, it was to be her final victory, albeit one in a line of many.
"It's just I don't have that in me anymore. I don't have the physical drive, the emotional want and everything it takes to challenge yourself at the very top of level anymore," she said.
"I think I just know that I'm absolutely spent. I just know physically I have nothing more to give and that for me is success.
"I've given absolutely everything I can to this beautiful sport"
Barty retires with three grand-slam wins, countless competition wins, and a place in the history annals with several top 10 records of all time.
Last year alone saw the Ngarigo woman complete a globe-trotting five-trophy campaign, topping the Yarra Valley Classic, both the Miami and Cincinnati Opens, the Stuttgart Grand Prix (complete with a prize Porsche on her 25th birthday) and her second grand slam win at Wimbledon.
Ash Barty celebrates after defeating Danielle Collins of the U.S. in the women's singles final at the Australian Open tennis championships in Jan. 29, 2022. Source: AP Photo/Hamish Blair
It came as no surprise that she finished 2021 as world's top tennis player for the third consecutive year.
In doing so, she joined some of the greatest names in tennis annals, becoming the fifth female player ever to finish as No. 1 three years in a row.
It was an impressive follow up to the news in March that she had become the 10th longest serving World No. 1 since rankings began in 1976.
"What an amazing journey my tennis career has been. As a person, this is what I want," she said.
"I want to chase after some other dreams, and to put the racquets down."
Barty gave some clues as to what those dreams might be in a press conference she gave Thursday.
"Visiting Uluru and being up in the community was just incredible," she said, speaking of her advocacy work with First Nations youth in the NT
"That's what lights me up inside. That's what makes me happy, and we have done a few of those trips now and I can't wait to do a few more."
