Tennis: Ashleigh Barty leaves on a high after announcing shocking retirement!!

The tennis world was left in shock as 3 time Grand Slam champion, Ashleigh Barty announced her retirement from the sport. This article takes you through Barty's professional journey and a special tribute to the Australian tennis star.  

In 1978 little did the Australian crowd know that they would have to wait for 44 long years to see an Aussie lift the Australian Open crown when Chris O'Neil lifted the women's singles title. 

The drought was finally ended in January of this year when a certain 25-year-old, named Ashleigh Barty, previously a cricketer turned tennis pro, went on to clinch the Holy Grail by defeating Daniellie Collins in the women's singles final at the Australian Open 2022. 

But on a surprising note, she has hung her tennis racket and has decided to call time on her short but successful career.

Ashleigh, at just 25, will go down as a legend in the world of tennis having won major tournaments on all three surfaces (grass, clay and hard court). 

Ranked World No.1, the defending Wimbledon champion leaves a legacy to fulfil for the coming generation of Australian tennis aspirants. 

The last eight months have been terrific for her as she won the prestigious Wimbledon title and was the hot favourite to win the Australian Open.

Leaves behind a legacy

Before her retirement on Wednesday, alongside Serena Williams, Ashleigh Barty was the only active tennis star in the women's division to win major titles on all three surfaces. 

The US Open remains the only title missing from her trophy cabinet, having previously won the French Open in 2019 and Wimbledon in 2021. 

Since the change of surface at the Australian Open in 1987 no Aussie star, male or female, had won the tournament before Ashleigh came out on top.

A unique career Grand Slam

The Ipswich-born star will go down as Australia's finest tennis stars sitting alongside Rod Laver and Margaret Court. 

Despite missing out on US Open title in singles competition, her doubles triumph in 2018 sees her as a unique Grand Slam champion, having won the rest of the three titles in singles competition. 

Notably, she has played in the finals of all four majors in doubles competition but ended as second best at the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon. Remarkably, she was also the Wimbledon junior’s champion, before she exploded on the scene.

As they say, all good things come to an end, and so has an illustrious and proud career of a player who was one of the finest on a given particular day.

Happy retirement Ashleigh Barty!!!