MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 29: Danielle Collins of United States during the trophy presentation for the Women’s Singles Final match played against Ashleigh Barty of Australia during day 13 of the 2022 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 29, 2022 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
Former World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty announced her retirement from professional tennis earlier this year, at the age of 25
Four-time Grand Slam Champion and former WTA World No.1 Ashleigh Barty is the most googled Australian of 2022 despite announcing her retirement earlier this year. Barty, who won the 2022 Australian Open on home turf, announced a pre-mature retirement, shocking everyone across the Tennis fraternity. However, that does not seem to have affected her popularity, as she edged out Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to become the most googled Australian in 2022.
Earlier this year, Barty revealed her decision of retiring from tennis in a recorded video posted on Instagram where she was having a conversation with former doubles partner Casey Dellacqua. The announcement came as a shock to the tennis community especially when Barty was at her peak and is the reigning Wimbledon and Australian Open Champion. Barty stated that she is retiring from tennis to ‘chase other dreams. She explained she was ‘spent both physically and mentally and had nothing more to offer to the sport.
Barty’s popularity on and if the court have been recognised again and she recently became just the third athlete to win the coveted The Don Award for a second time. The Don Award, named in recognition of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame’s inaugural Inductee Sir Donald Bradman, is considered the highest honour in Australian sport. It’s awarded to an athlete or a team which has provided the most inspiration to the nation through performance and example in the past year.
The former WTA no.1 won the award for the second time after having previously won it in 2019. Despite no longer competing at a professional level, Barty remains one of Australia’s favourite personalities. She has joined an exclusive list comprising Olympic gold medal-winning hurdler Sally Pearson (2012 and 2014) and Olympic champion pole vaulter Steve Hooker (2008 and 2009) as a multiple-time winner of the award.
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