Why did Ash Barty retire from tennis? Everything we know ahead of Wimbledon return

Ash Barty makes her long-awaited return to Wimbledon today (Wednesday), playing alongside best friend Casey Dellacqua in a doubles invitational match, bumped up to Centre Court following Alex De Minaur’s withdrawal on the morning he was set to face Novak Djokovic.

Barty shocked the world when, as reigning Wimbledon and Australian Open champion, she decided to hang up her racket and quit professional tennis. The then-world No.1 sat down with Dellacqua in 2022 for a video that was shared on social media as the Aussie explained her decision.

“There’s no right way, there’s no wrong way, it’s just my way,” Barty shared. “And this is perfect for me to share it with you, to talk to you about it with my team, my loved ones that I will be retiring from tennis.

“And it’s the first time I’ve actually said it out loud. And it’s hard to say. But I’m so happy and I’m so ready and I just know at the moment in my heart for me as a person this is right. I know I’ve done this before but in a very different feeling.

“And I’m so grateful to everything tennis has given me. It’s given me all of my dreams plus more. But I know that the time is right for me to step away and chase other dreams and to put the racquets down.”

After winning Wimbledon in 2021, Barty explained that she spoke with her team about the prospect of retiring, but still had one goal in mind. Her home Slam in Melbourne continued to elude her, but just a few short months later that title was added to her collection and the decision was made to retire.

Despite loving tennis, Barty wanted to pursue her other interests, focusing on family life with husband Garry Kissick and son Hayden, who celebrated his first birthday earlier this month. Barty has also spent her time away from the tour writing children’s books and playing in exhibition events across different sports.

“I want to chase after some other dreams that I’ve always wanted to do,” Barty explained two years ago. “Always had that really healthy balance. I’m really, really excited.

“There was a perspective shift in me in this second phase of my career, that my happiness wasn’t dependent on the results. And success for me is knowing I’ve given absolutely everything I can. I’m fulfilled, I’m happy.

“I know how much work it takes to bring the best out of yourself and I’ve said it to my team multiple times, it’s just I don’t have that in me any more. I don’t have the physical drive, the emotional want and everything it takes to challenge yourself at the very top of the level any more.

“I just know that I am absolutely – I am spent – I just know physically I have nothing more to give. And that to me is success. I have given absolutely everything I can to this beautiful sport of tennis.”

But at 28, just a few years on from being at the very top of her field, fans have clamoured for Barty to return to the professional game. She has already teased about playing at Wimbledon again next year, extending an invitation to Andy Murray, but insisted that she would only be playing again in similar exhibition events.

“No this is the comeback, this is the only comeback,” Barty told TODAY. “For an exhibition, for fun, for enjoyment, to entertain people who are at Wimbledon and to enjoy the whole event. They are there obviously to watch the best players in the world go about their business and see who the champion will be, but I am excited to play a very small part in it.”