Ashleigh Barty admits that she is positively surprised by how comfortable she has been with her decision to retire at a very young age. After winning her third Grand Slam at the 2022 Australian Open, Barty announced in March a shock retirement from tennis at age 25.
It’s been nine months since Barty walked away from professional tennis and since then she’s been asked multiple times if there’s any chance of seeing her on the court again one day. In an interview with The New York Times, Barty suggested that she is at peace with her decision and that she does not contemplate returning to professional tennis.
Barty: Surprised how comfortable I’ve been.
“To be honest, I think what has surprised me the most is how comfortable I have been. I think there was probably a normal fear or uncertainty in not knowing what my life would be like after tennis after being so focused.
I wasn’t sure how I would deal with it because I’m a person who likes to be organized. There was probably a little bit of fear in that, but overall, that hasn’t been a problem, a concern, or a concern. What’s been most amazing in a good way is that I’ve slipped smoothly into this life that’s like everyone else, which is something I’ve always wanted.
The more time I’ve had to sit and think and absorb this year, I think never more in the sense of racing professionally. But I will never stop being involved in the sport. So I think that’s where I’ll always get my tennis fix, that zest for the sport that gave me so much,» Barty told The New York Times.
In the summer of 2021, Barty fulfilled his childhood dream of winning Wimbledon. At her retirement press conference, Ella Barty admitted that she had no motivation left after becoming a Wimbledon champion. Ultimately, Barty ended her career with three Grand Slams and was the highest-ranked player in the world at the time of her retirement announcement.
Many were disappointed by Barty’s shock retirement, as the Aussie was still in her prime and a dominant force in the game.
