"I’ll never not be involved in this sport" - Barty on tennis involvement

Friday, 30 December 2022 at 05:30

Updated at Tuesday, 17 December 2024 at 02:37

byJordan Reynolds

Ashleigh Barty feels comfortable in retirement, but the Australian also plans to stay involved in tennis despite no longer competing on the WTA Tour.

Barty's decision to retire in March shocked and devastated millions of tennis fans worldwide. The three-time Grand Slam champion was just 25 and sat at No. 1 in the WTA rankings at the time of her decision.

However, Barty being content with her decision is what matters most. She has no regrets about stepping away, and having a lengthy career is not what every tennis player or athlete wants.

Barty admitted that her motivation dropped after she achieved her childhood dream of winning Wimbledon in 2021. Incredibly, she triumphed on home soil at the Australian Open this year despite her motivation slipping.

Iga Swiatek overtook Barty at world No. 1 in April after she retired. Barty and Swiatek's rivalry could have been one of the greatest in WTA history, but they only played two matches before the 26-year-old's retirement.

The 2019 French Open champion spoke about retired life in an interview with The New York Times. Barty is surprised by how comfortable she is in retirement but still wants to stay involved in tennis.

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“To be honest, I think what has surprised me most is how comfortable I’ve been. I think there was probably a normal fear or uncertainty in not knowing what my life would look like after tennis after being so focused. I was a bit unsure how I would deal with that because I am a person who likes to be organised."

“The more time I’ve had to sit and think and absorb this year, I think it is never in the sense of me competing professionally again. But I’ll never not be involved in this sport. So I think that’s where I’ll always get my tennis fix, that taste of the sport that gave me so much.”