John McEnroe, the former World no. 1, has discussed the recent shock retirement of Australian player Ash Barty and how it influenced women's tennis.
In an interview with Eurosport, McEnroe said that Barty's decision to retire sent shockwaves through the sport, as she was seen as one of the stars of the women's game. He noted that Barty had just won Wimbledon and the Australian Open and was expected to win the US Open in the following year. McEnroe said:
“I think when Ash Barty retired that obviously sent shockwaves because here is a young woman at 25 that had come off winning Wimbledon, then winning the Australian Open and you think ‘OK, she’s going to win the US Open in the next year and it’s just a matter of time’."
Barty's retirement has come as a surprise to many, as she is widely considered to be one of the best players in the world and had a bright future ahead of her. She has been praised for her all-around game, as well as her sportsmanship and graciousness on and off the court.
McEnroe's comments echo the sentiment of many in the tennis world, who were disappointed to see Barty leave the sport so soon.
“Obviously, I hope she’s happy, you never want to see someone walk away from it that young because then you’re like ‘what’s wrong with the women’s game that the No. 1 player walked away from the game aged 25’."
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