Ashleigh Barty Is 2nd Women’s Player to Retire at No. 1

At only 25 years old — and after winning the 2022 Australian Open — World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty has stunned the tennis world by announcing her retirement.

On Tuesday night, the World No. 1 posted an Instagram video declaring, “I am spent.” She’s the second women’s player to retire atop the rankings (Justine Henin, 2008; she returned 16 months later).

Not only is Barty still in her prime, having won her third major in January, but she started the season red hot, winning 25 of her last 26 matches. 

• She was one major away from a career grand slam after previously winning the 2019 French Open and 2021 Wimbledon.
• She earned $2.2M for her Australian Open victory, but hasn’t played since.
• Barty spent 121 weeks at No. 1, including the past 114 consecutive – the fourth-longest streak in WTA history.
• The Australian retires with $23.8M in career earnings — 14th all-time — from 15 singles and 12 doubles titles.

In 2014 when she was 18, Barty left the WTA tour for nearly two years, citing burnout. “I know I’ve done this before, but in a very different feeling,” Barty said Tuesday.

Barty could still unretire in the coming years — or months, like Henin — but until then Iga Swiatek (World No. 2), Maria Sakkari (3), Barbora Krejcikova (4), and Aryna Sabalenka (5) will vie for the top spot.