‘It’s still a little bit surreal,’ New probable World No.1 Iga Swiatek pays tribute to Ash Barty on her retirement

‘It’s still a little bit surreal,’ New probable World No.1 Iga Swiatek pays tribute to Ash Barty on her retirement

Ash Barty and Iga Swiatek

Australian World No.1 Ash Barty stunned the tennis world by announcing that she will be retiring from the sport. She took to social media to reveal her decision in an interview with her friend Casey Dellacqua. What is more shocking is that Barty is just 25-years old and is currently in her prime. Having won the Australian Open just a couple of months back, Barty was just one US Open title away from completing her career slam.

As expected, the tennis world was completely stunned by Barty’s decision. Her fellow contemporaries paid tribute to Barty’s career and lauded her for her individuality. 2020 French Open champion Iga Swiatek too took to social media to congratulate Barty for her incredible career.

She said that this is all still surreal to her and thanked Barty for giving so much to tennis. She lauded the Australian’s competitive spirit and wished her well for the next chapter in her life.

FS Video

“It’s still a little bit surreal to me… Ash Barty thank you for what you’ve done for our sport, for every time we practiced together and played against each other – it was always a challenge in the best way possible. I hope you’ll enjoy every second in this new chapter Champ,” she said.

Iga Swiatek to become the new World No.1?

Iga Swiatek
Iga Swiatek

In her press conference, Barty said that she’ll be having her name removed from the WTA Rankings post the Miami Open. That leaves the World No.1 spot up for grabs. World No.2 Iga Swiatek is the main contender to become the new World No.1. The Pole needs to win just one match at the Miami Open in order to become the No.1.

Other notable names in the No.1 contention are Paula Badosa, Anett Kontaveit, Maria Sakkari and Aryna Sabalenka. With the clay season coming up, expect a tight No.1 battle between Swiatek and Badosa.

YouTube video

Also read: ‘Miss you!’ Lacoste CEO cryptically denies all claims of revoking Novak Djokovic’s sponsorship