
Although she announced her sudden retirement from tennis a few days ago, Ashleigh Barty has already been offered a tryout by an Australian Football League Women's (AFLW) team.
The three-time Grand Slam champion held a press conference on Thursday after making announcing her retirement at the age of 25, but didn't rule out the possibility of trying another sport.
Barty is a huge fan of AFLW team Richmond Tigers, and coach Damien Hardwick said the team is open to giving the 2022 Australian Open champion a try out.
“It would be good for actually to see her play because she’s just, whatever she turns her hand to, she does very well at, so I assume, from my point of view, she’d be an absolute star at playing AFL,” Hardwick said.
“I’d love to see her in Tiger colors, and I’m sure the Richmond faithful would as well.”
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Barty admitted her motivation started to decline after she achieved her childhood dream of winning Wimbledon. After Wimbledon, she suffered a shock third round defeat at the US Open before choosing to end her 2021 season early. Barty would go on to win her first Australian Open title this year, becoming the first Australian winner at Melbourne Park since 1978.
Growing up in a household where soccer was king, my earliest memories are filled with chants from packed stadiums and the rhythm of a ball being passed across neighborhood streets. But somewhere along the way, the quiet elegance and raw emotion of tennis pulled me in. What began as a curiosity became a lifelong passion; not just for the sport itself, but for the stories it tells: of grit, of heartbreak, of improbable comebacks and human resilience.
As a tennis writer, I bring the observational lens of someone who didn’t grow up in the sport, but fell in love with it as an outsider; a perspective that lets me see both its technical beauty and its emotional depth. Over the years working with TennisUpToDate, I’ve had the privilege of reaching more than 3.5 million readers worldwide, with one of my features ranking among the site’s top three articles.
With a background in storytelling and a creative mind always searching for meaning beyond the scoreboard, I aim to craft narratives that go deeper than results and rankings. Whether it’s a rising star breaking through or a veteran fighting off Father Time, I try to capture the heartbeat behind the headlines.
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mandoist06-11-2026 - Enough of her bullshit. Go marry someone.
mandoist06-11-2026 - Don't you just love this young lady!? We fans often expect athletes to be supermen and superwomen, often forgetting that they WILL GET TIRED! I love Alex's perspective. Tiredness for an athlete should never be viewed as a negative, especially if you are healthy, taking care of your body and mental health and putting in the work. What a mature perspective. Good for you, Alex!Rapunzel05-11-2026
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mandoist05-11-2026 - Okay... someone with a camera was EAVESDROPPING on a private conversation. Shouldn't that be the point of discussion here? Regardless of the sensationalist crap by media, Pegula (and anyone) has a right to an opinion. There used to be an expectation that private conversations were respected, regardless of 'stardom' and whatever other defensive excuses media tries to shove in our faces. Boo-hoo if feelings are hurt. BTW: Having been employed at various tourney venues, etc., I can't tell you how nasty and offensive players can be when discussing their opponents and colleagues... in "private". Well, I could, but won't. I also challenge anyone to deny what Jessica said is false.
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mandoist31-10-2026 - Osaka's mental state apparently does not allow her to reach any more Quarter Finals? I mean, she doesn't really have the time for tennis with all the pre-planning that must go into her 12 year-old "fashion" goals.
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