Ashleigh Barty retires: Her time at the top was too short for tennis - but not for her

Ashleigh Barty's ambitions and desires have been well and truly sated. Her time at the top was too short for tennis, but not for the person who matters most.

If winning Wimbledon was the Holy Grail, then enduring fulfilment was secured in January when Barty became the first home winner of an Australian Open singles title for 44 years.

«I [no longer] have the physical drive, the emotional want,» the 25 year old has said.

«I just know that I'm absolutely spent.»

Perhaps the decision has been accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic, with its enforced bubble life and the difficulties of returning home to Australia.

Barty spent six months on the road last year and, in 2014 as an 18-year-old, she suffered home sickness and depression before taking a two-year break from the tour.

But surprising though the announcement is, with Barty in her 121st week as world number 1, the Queenslander never seemed likely to be playing into her 30s.

She is never happier than at home near Brisbane, with family and friends — barbecue tongs in one hand and a cold beer in the other.

There are many parallels to the decision taken by Justine Henin in May 2008.

She was also 25, world number one, and had won two Grand Slams in the previous 12 months. The announcement of her retirement, just two weeks before the French Open which the Belgian had won for the previous three years, was a monumental surprise.

But, like Barty, she also said she had given everything and wanted to try her hand at something new.

Henin, though, came back for more. Motivated by Roger Federer completing his set of Grand Slams at Roland Garros in 2009, she wanted to see whether she could win Wimbledon, which would remain the only major title to elude her.

The only Grand Slam singles title