Former world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty honoured with Australia’s most prestigious Don award for the second time

Former world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty honoured with Australia’s most prestigious Don award for the second time

Ashleigh Barty (Image: Firstsportz)

Former Australian professional tennis player Ashleigh Barty has been awarded the coveted Don Award for the second time in her career. After Olympic hurdler Sally Pearson and pole vaulter Steve Hooker, she became just the third athlete to win the award twice. The award is named after Australia’s and one of the world’s greatest cricketers ever Sir Don Bradman.

Earlier this year, the three-time grand slam winner shook the tennis world when she announced her retirement from tennis, not long after winning the Australian Open at home, citing the lack of ‘physical drive’ and ’emotional want.’ She was just 25 years old at the time and became the second player to retire while holding the No. 1 ranking after Justine Henin.

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Ashleigh Barty vs Danielle Collins, Australian Open 2022

“This year was certainly my most enjoyable Australian Open … because it felt free,” Barty said on the Seven Network’s special ‘Sport Australia Hall of Fame: Heroes and Legends’. “I played without consequence, I played like a little kid“, Barty said on Thursday night.

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Talking about her retirement, she said it was a “perfect ending,” thus making it clear that she would not return to the court. “It was never about finishing on a win or on a really high emotional feeling. It was just about collectively, I felt it was right,” she further added.

After winning the Don Award, Barty is also in contention to win a record, Newcombe Medal.

Also Read: Ashleigh Barty admits to missing the essence of “competing and challenging against the best” while remaining firm on her retirement decision

Ashleigh Barty’s career highlights, major achievements, and life after retirement

Ashleigh Barty

Barty started her professional career in April 2010 just after turning 14 at an ITF Women’s Circuit. Between 2010 and 2014 she could not achieve much success on the court and decided to take a break from tennis.

During this break, she played in the inaugural Women’s Big Bash League for Brisbane Heat despite having no formal training in the sport. Later, her three singles majors came at the 2019 French Open, 2021 Wimbledon, and 2022 Australian Open.

She achieved the No. 1 ranking in world singles, holding the ranking for 121 weeks overall. After retirement, Barty entered the golf course for some time and multiple local golf tournaments in Australia. Barty also took up a job with the Australian telephone company Optus. Recently, in her autobiography, My Dream Time, Barty detailed that after winning Wimbledon, “the one true dream that I wanted in tennis”, she started to lose her motivation to keep playing.

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