(Reuters) – Factbox on Australia’s world number one Ash Barty, who retired from professional tennis at the age of 25 on Wednesday.
Grand Slam titles: Three (French Open 2019; Wimbledon 2021; Australian Open 2022)
EARLY LIFE
* Began playing tennis aged five when parents Robert and Josie introduced her to the sport.
CAREER
* After starting on the professional entry-level ITF circuit in Australia in 2010, she played her first WTA qualifying event at the U.S. Open the following year.
* Barty claimed four singles titles and two doubles titles on the ITF circuit in 2012.
* Won one WTA doubles title and reached three Grand Slam doubles finals with fellow Australian Casey Dellacqua in 2013 (Australian Open, Wimbledon, U.S. Open).
* After winning another WTA doubles title in 2014, she took a break from tennis following the U.S. Open and had a successful stint with the Brisbane Heat cricket team in the Women’s Big Bash League, before returning to tennis in 2016.
* Broke into the top 20 in 2017, clinching her first WTA singles title at Kuala Lumpur as a qualifier. She reached two more singles finals before becoming Australia’s number one.
* Won her second and third WTA singles titles to finish 2018 ranked 15th in the world.
* Sealed her first title of 2019 at Miami in March before clinching her maiden Grand Slam at the French Open, beating Czech Marketa Vondrousova in the final to become the first Australian woman player in 46 years to triumph at Roland Garros.
* The same year, she rose to world number one in June and led Australia to their first Fed Cup final since 1993, where they lost to France.
* Started her second season as the top-ranked player in 2020. Won her eighth WTA singles title at Adelaide and reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open.
* Did not participate in any other Grand Slams in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, before returning at the Australian Open in 2021 where she lost in the quarter-finals. Retired from her second-round match at French Open due to a hip injury.
* Defeated Karolina Pliskova in her first Wimbledon final in 2021 to win her second Grand Slam title.
* Finished 2021 as the world number one for a third consecutive year, winning a Tour-leading five titles.
* Beat Danielle Collins in the 2022 Australian Open final to win her third Grand Slam title.
(Compiled by Manasi Pathak in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
