Number one in the tennis world ends his career – at just 25 years old: "I'm used up"

Created: 2022-03-24 05:47

By: Patrick Huljina

At the end of January, Ashleigh Barty won the Australian Open - now the 25-year-old is ending her career.

© Andy Brownbill/dpa

Ashleigh "Ash" Barty announced her retirement in a video message.

The news shocked the tennis world on Wednesday.

Sydney - Ashleigh "Ash" Barty is number one in the tennis* world rankings, reigning winner of the Australian Open* and Wimbledon - and is now ending her career.

At just 25 years old.

The Australian announced her resignation in a six-minute video message.

The news spread like wildfire in her home country.

The move came as a complete surprise to the public.

Tennis: Ashleigh Barty ends her career – "I'm used up"

Barty only won the Australian Open at the end of January – the Grand Slam* in her home country.

The first home triumph in Melbourne since 1978. Previously, she had already won the French Open* and won Wimbledon*.

With that, Barty fulfilled “the one big dream in tennis”.

The 25-year-old has also been number one in the world rankings for 114 weeks.

Only Steffi Graf (186), Serena Williams (186) and Martina Navratilova (156) managed to do that for a long time.

Barty is actually at the peak of her career.

In a month she will be 26 years old.

Usually no age to end a career.

Nevertheless, she breaks up - because she can no longer and does not want to.

"I don't have that in me anymore.

The physical drive, that emotional desire, and everything it takes to put yourself at the absolute pinnacle.

I'm exhausted," Barty explained in her video message.

Tennis star ends career: Barty wants to "enjoy the next phase of her life as a person"

“I gave everything and that is success for me.

I'm very happy with it.

I know people might not understand that.

That's okay," said the Australian.

At the age of 18 she had interrupted her tennis career for almost two years due to the pressure and too much travel and played cricket professionally during the break.

"I know I've done this before, but with a completely different feeling," Barty said.

In the second phase of her career there was an awareness that her happiness did not depend on the results.

"Success for me is knowing I've given everything," said the Australian.

"It's important now that I get to enjoy this next phase of my life as Ash Barty, the human.

Not as Ash Barty, the athlete.”  

Ash Barty ends career: Great gratitude in her native Australia

The media Down Under spoke of a “shocking announcement” from their tennis star.

The Prime Minister of Queensland, where Barty was born, took to Twitter to congratulate the 25-year-old on her "incredible career".

Barty is "a champion on and off the tennis court" and a great role model, stressed Annastacia Palaszczuk.

“Thank you for inspiring the nation.

You have class," Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison wrote on Twitter*.

The head of the WTA, the association of professional women tennis players, Steve Simon also recognized Barty as one of the "great champions of the WTA" and wished her all the best.

"We will miss her," he said.

Barty felt gratitude in her farewell video, in which she also shed a few tears.

“I am so grateful for everything tennis has given me.

It has fulfilled all my dreams and more.

But I know the time is ripe for me to step back and chase other dreams and put down the bat.”