Women's tennis world number one Barty makes shock announcement to retire at 25

MELBOURNE: Ash Barty dropped a bombshell on the tennis world on Wednesday (Mar 23), the 25-year-old announcing her retirement at the peak of her game and just two months after claiming a third Grand Slam title at the Australian Open.

Citing the fulfilment of her tennis goals and fatigue with life on the Tour, the world number one walks away with 15 titles to her name, the last coming at Melbourne Park where she ended Australia's 44-year wait for a home champion.

"I know how much work it takes to bring the best out of yourself ... I don't have that in me anymore," she said in a video posted on her Instagram account on Wednesday.

"I don't have the physical drive, the emotional want and everything it takes to challenge yourself at the very top level any more. I am spent."

It marks Barty's second retirement from the sport, having walked away from the game as a teenager in late-2014 after becoming disaffected by the Tour.

She returned in 2016 and rose rapidly up the rankings, earning global acclaim for her tennis and fans' affection for her sportsmanship and laid-back demeanour.

Spending 121 weeks as world number one, Barty won the 2019 French Open and Wimbledon in 2021 and appeared well set for more Grand Slam success to take her place among the game's greats.

However, she never made any secret of her dislike for the touring life and her battles with homesickness.

She said realising her "one true dream" by winning Wimbledon last year had changed her perspective.

"Ash Barty the person has so many dreams she wants to chase after that don't necessarily involve travelling the world, being away from my family, being away from my home, which is where I've always wanted to be," she said in the video, interviewed by her close friend and