Follow us on Google Discover Ash Barty was the best player alive when she called time on her tennis career.
Just months after Barty picked up her third Grand Slam at the 2022 Australian Open, she retired from tennis.
The 25-year-old was ranked number one in the world and had been so for over 80 consecutive weeks, but decided it was time to ‘chase other dreams’.
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Retiring from tennis, Barty gave up her world number one ranking, allowing one of her WTA rivals to take the top spot.
But who did the Australian want to be ranked number one in the world in her absence?
Ash Barty ‘hoped’ Iga Swiatek would become world number one when she retired
During her retirement press conference, Barty was asked for her thoughts on the potential new world number one.
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“Yeah, I’m not sure of what the possibilities are. I’ve never been one to look at it much,” she said.
“I know that if it is Iga [Swiatek], there is no better person.
“She’s an incredible person, a great tennis player. The way that she’s brought this fresh, fearless energy onto the court has been incredible.
“I loved testing myself against her. I loved playing her.”
Barty and Swiatek played each other twice on the WTA Tour, with the Aussie emerging victorious on both occasions.
- 2021 Madrid Open 3R – Ash Barty defeated Iga Swiatek, 7-5, 6-4
- 2022 Adelaide SF – Ash Barty defeated Iga Swiatek, 6-2, 6-4
The retiring world number one believed Swiatek deserved to take the ranking from her.
“I loved practicing with her and spending time with her team. She’s a brilliant person, and was one of the first to message me, which is really nice,” said Barty.
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“I think she thoroughly deserves it.
“I hope that she can take it and still be her, do it her own way, and really chase what she’s after in her career and her dreams.”
Barty’s wish came true as Swiatek took the world number one ranking from her on April 4, 2022, and never looked back.
In fact, just two years later, Swiatek overtook Barty in the all-time list for weeks at world number one.
WTA weeks at number one
Whether she would have done so had Barty not retired is another question altogether…
Chris Evert claimed Iga Swiatek would have overtaken Ash Barty anyway
Speaking to Discovery in 2022, Chris Evert made a bold claim about the number one ranking.
“I think even if Ashleigh Barty hadn’t retired, Iga would have reached the number one spot,” said Evert.
“She wants it so bad, she wants it so badly, and she’s so committed to the game that she forces herself to be in the moment, and she’s in every single point.
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“That mental strength of hers is really propelling her to the top. She’s mentally the toughest player out there by far right now; she’s on another level.
“Her attitude is wonderful.”
Swiatek is now a six-time Grand Slam champion and has established herself as one of the greatest players of her generation.
She hasn’t, however, been able to add to her 125 weeks as number one in 2025.
Ranked number two behind Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka, Swiatek has a lot of work to do if she wants to return to the top spot.
The race for the WTA number one ranking
Swiatek currently trails Sabalenka by 1,552 points in the Live WTA Rankings.
- 1. Aryna Sabalenka – 10,225 points
- 2. Iga Swiatek – 8,673 points
The Pole will struggle to take the number one ranking from Sabalenka before the end of the year, but could close the gap with strong performances in Wuhan and at the WTA Finals.
Then at the Australian Open in 2026, she could return to the top spot and secure her 126th week as world number one.
Only time will tell if Swiatek can overtake Sabalenka, but it will certainly be worth keeping an eye on over the coming months.