The athletic world was shocked by the retirement of world number one Ashleigh Barty. The sudden declaration raised a lot of questions.
The Australian athlete played cricket and tennis professionally in the past. Three Grand Slam singles competitions, including the January 2022 Australian Open, were won by her.
Ashleigh won the Australian Open singles tournament for the first time in 44 years.
She rose to the top of the world in 2019 and has remained there for 114 weeks straight. Only three other players have amassed more records: Martina Navratilova, Serena Williams, and Steffi Graf.
What Motivates Ashleigh Barty’s Retirement?
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Ashleigh Barty startled the tennis community in February when she announced she will stop playing competitively at the age of 25. On social media, she announced her resignation and said that she was leaving to “chase other dreams.”
Just a few weeks after winning the Australian Open, the decision was made. When she won Wimbledon in 2021, Ashleigh said in a farewell interview that she had achieved her tennis goals. The cherry on top was the Australian Open.
Ashleigh continued, saying she was “absolutely spent” and had nothing more to physically offer. Even if some people may not agree with the choice, the Australian claimed she was delighted with it.
The native of Ipswich said that she often experienced nightmares that had nothing to do with going abroad and being far from her home and relatives. Homelessness and melancholy have been affecting her.
Ashleigh said it was time for her to go and thanked everyone for their support and lifetime memories.
Ashleigh Barty: What Is She Doing Now?
Ashleigh Barty, a former tennis pro, has started a new professional path outside of athletics. She is presently employed as a writer.
She disclosed that she will release a memoir as well as a series of children’s books in an exclusive interview with NewsCorp media.
Little Ash is a six-part children’s book series that is partially based on her life and her experiences with her family. Her autobiography is titled My Dream Time as well.
The three-time Grand Slam champion said in the interview that her five-year-old niece Lucy served as her writing inspiration.
The 27-year-old also maintains a hectic schedule thanks to her new position at Optus as their Chief of Inspiration and National Indigenous Tennis Ambassador.
In addition, on July 23, Ashleigh wed Garry Kissick, her partner since 2017.
There were numerous rumors about her future professional path once she decided to put her racket away.
Some people expected Ashleigh would switch to golf, while others felt she would go back to playing cricket professionally. Her professional strategy was completely different, however.
Update on Ashleigh Barty’s health and injuries
As of July 2023, Ashleigh Barty is in good physical condition. Known for experiencing mental health problems, such as depression, throughout her tennis career, she is now concentrating on her family and her alone time.
Ashleigh works out at home, although she does it for amusement and general health. “I’m not training to be an athlete anymore,” she said. She continued by saying that although she no longer has a white-line fever, she is still pushing herself.
Recently, the former WTA world number one ruled out a comeback in tennis or any other sport. She also said she had no intentions to work as a jockey or in commentary. “Never. I think my new favorite word is never,” she remarked.
Ashleigh has spoken about her life after retirement, particularly the time she has spent with her husband, nieces, and nephews.
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