How can you retire when you’re at the top of your game?
It’s a question that Ash Barty, at age 25 will have many asking today after the shock news of her retirement from tennis.
It was the exact same question asked of the great golfer Bobby Jones when he retired at 28 after winning four major tournaments in a year.
“Championship golf is something like a cage. First you are expected to get into it and then you are expected to stay there. But of course, nobody can stay there,” he said at the time.
That quote and Jones’ decision to retire echoes Barty and the tennis world.
She won three grand slams, claimed the World No. 1 mantle and she climbed Everest by winning the Australian Open. She’s done everything she dreamed of doing and more. Why not go out on top?
You only have to look at Roger Federer and how the tennis world seems obsessed with comparing him to Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal and who is the greatest.
I’m not suggesting it was wrong of Federer to play on but it all comes back to the Bobby Jones quote that nobody can stay at the top no matter how good you are.
By going out now, Barty leaves that nagging question of ‘just how many titles could she have won?’
It’s a great way for an athlete to bow out. She’s ensured she remains a legend of the game by Wednesday’s announcement but she’s done so on her terms.
She’s always done it that way.
Her initial decision back in 2014 to take a break from tennis to see if she could make it as a cricketer was a huge move on her behalf.
She just felt like she wanted a change and she gave it a red hot crack.
While cricket didn’t quite work out on the surface, it did on a spiritual level. Her time away from the game re-energised her and she was a completely different player on her return.
Her mental toughness was the biggest improvement.
She went from losing close games to having amazing comebacks and crushing opponents who would normally stay in the fight from Ash making too many unforced errors.
“It’s nice to know that straight off the bat I can come in and compete with the best in the world,” she said in 2016.
It was a warning of what was to come.
With hours of work with her new coach Craig Tyzzer, Barty developed her all-court game.
She always had a decent slice backhand but Tyzzer helped add some punch. All of a sudden she could go from defence to attack with blistering groundstrokes and with some added muscle her serve became unstoppable.
She went from outside the top 200 for singles to the top 20 in the space of a year and the rest as they say is history.
What I’ve loved most about Ash Barty is how she hasn’t changed despite her success.
She’s the same person as she was when she held her first trophy in that iconic photo as a junior.
She took time off during the height of the pandemic in 2020 and she was just as excited to watch her beloved Richmond in the finals with a beer in hand as she was winning a grand slam.
I can’t recall her ever getting angry in a press conference despite some inane questions and journalists trying to catch her out with a gotcha moment.
Conversely no player has ever said a bad word about Barty.
In a tennis world full of egos and prima donnas she was just Ash. Loveable Ash. You couldn’t help but love her.
Australians were happy to forgo sleep to watch her epic matches at Wimbledon, her French Open triumph and of course the ratings bonanza that was her crowning glory at this year’s Australian Open.
The fact that she’s willing to walk away from potentially millions of dollars in the next few years by leaving the Tour just shows you where her priorities are.
Whatever she chooses to do in the coming months and years, she’ll do so with a smile and she’ll do it without fuss. She’s the most humble champion Australia’s ever produced and we should all be grateful to have watched history before our eyes.
Chanon
Roar Rookie
Absolutely also l heard she’s also a very good at cricket & AFLW possibilities but my bet is golf :stoked:
Reg Grundy
Guest
Good luck to Ash in whatever she does next in her life! I have sort of similar sentiments with her Grand Slams wins. The WTA has less talent and depth than ATP with players. However, it is still a good effort in what she has achieved in such a short amount of time. Like everyone I'm a little disappointed about the early retirement. Ash is in all honesty brought a lot of joy with her playing ability, demeanour and what she does off court. She's very likeable and relatable, unlike Kyrgios. I also do have a lot of respect for her that she didn't live offshore in a tax haven during her career to maximise her earnings. Similar to Nadal who is happy to live in Majorca for family and lifestyle reasons, not Monaco to avoid paying tax. Don't forget about her sponsorship and endorsement deals on top of her prize money earnings, is quite substantial. Unless you're a top ranked player or have substantial financial backing (interesting article in AFR with minimum amount needed to survive on tour, its not cheap), I don't think being on the season tour would be that glamorous. Ash is more than likely more mentally than physically cooked from it all. Truth be known, she more than likely enjoyed her COVID break from the tour (it did help having her points frozen). It wouldn't surprise me that a little Barty is on the way. Never say never, she can always make a comeback in a few years and get wild cards for major tournaments. Its happened before with early retired players. The Front Bar last night was quite funny with their under the pump board in naming the next highest ranked Oz women's tennis player in winning the next Grand Slam!
Andrew01
Roar Rookie
My prediction is that she will obviously enjoy time with family, maybe try start one of her own. She will have plenty of time to play golf and at some point, it may be in 10 years time, we will be talking about Ash Barty on the leaderboard of a major Golf Tournament. We know she is naturally gifted, we know she has the temperament, and gold seems like a sport that would suit her more controlled, quiet nature. I don't think she would ever be a world number 1 - i don't think she would want to put that level of time into it and be on tour for so long, but could she become a professional golfer and have a few amazing results, absolutely. That said, how good would it be to become the first ever World number 1 in golf and Tennis....
Brian
Guest
You realize most of those you listed made a comeback
Winston
Guest
I'm just sick of mainstream media and the focus on political correctness. This is an opinion site, so I was just annoyed at the lack of opinions on this end of the spectrum. Obviously, it's her choice, it's her life, she can do whatever she wants. Nor am I taking anything away from her achievements to date. But while she can choose how she wants to live, I can choose what opinion I have of her choices. She has her choices, I have mine.
Johnny
Guest
Theres no guarantee she left slams on the table. If you break it down ... her draw at the Aussie Open was super easy, the French was a joke that year. Wimbledon was her only main goal and she won as a junior (meaning she had played tennis solid for what 5-7 years prior to that) and her entire career was geared toward it. There are a bunch of super talented Americans coming through atm plus the Europeans. She won $23m in her career ... a good portion in 1 tournament alone, She's getting married, probably wants kids and to smell the roses. She has had a good run, particularly as it was largely void of a pack of superstars she had to beat .. it's a very weak period in wonens tennis atm ... not too dissimilar to when Hewitt one his 2 ... was a small window between 2 great eras. JORDAN, HENIN, CLISTERS, BJORG, RODDICK .. history is littered with unreal athletes retiring whilst at the top of their game.
The Late News
Roar Rookie
No mate I get it. She has been at this for say ten years, maybe more. Recently engaged and a whole lot of life ahead. Cashed up too. Enjoy I say!
Pierro
Roar Rookie
nope she was number 1 and If you have ability to win 5 plus slams you go in to the immortal books in tennis I think . I know it's a fine effort to date extraodianry but to leave slams on the table at 25 now the world is opening up ...I can imagine with her running game and size it might get harder Ina. few years but she's at her peak and has a few more slams in her at least and so much time in life . long time retired
Pierro
Roar Rookie
At her age and position she should have played another 2 to 3 years retired at 28 to see just how many more slams she could win . long time retired and plenty of years left for family and other business and fun
Winston lover
Guest
"Whatever she is trying her hand at next, I hope she really really sucks at it and regrets throwing it all away so easily." You're right, that is an unpopular opinion. What if she creates a tennis and sport academy and from that produces 20 grand slam winners? Better yet, what if what she next takes on makes her even happier as a human being? I think Winston was cuddled enough at d-bag school.
Winston
Guest
Nobody's willing to say the unpopular opinion, so here goes. What a waste of talent god has given her. Obviously at the end of the day it's her choice, but the choice obviously made a lot easier with the cash in her bank account. What would the aspiring 22 year old world number 450 think? That's someone who is earning peanuts, having to drag their own poor self through lower division event after lower division event, relying on sheer willpower and self-belief. Obviously with those ahead of them retiring it only makes it easier to move up the ranks. But where's the inspiration? I'm trying so bloody hard and I can only move from 450 to 449. Yet this person, who casually leaves the sport at 22 to play cricket, and then when it was inconvenient to travel overseas during the pandemic she casually wins a golf tournament in Queensland. And now after 2 slams she retires? Then there's the spectator's perspective. We've been looking for an Australian champion to look up to for so long. Whilst we were waiting, we had flogs like Tomic and Kyrgios. Finally Barty came and rescued all of us. And now she's gone in a flash. Bloody disappointing. Whatever she is trying her hand at next, I hope she really really sucks at it and regrets throwing it all away so easily.
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
Surprised and disappointed with this news but that’s a totally selfish reaction. I’d hoped to follow Ash through a challenge to add to her titles and to add the US Open to complete the career slam. I’m happy to assume she knows what’s best for her, thank her for the pleasure she has provided and wish her well. Very few careers to match or exceed what she has delivered in a short period of time. And she’s been a person it’s been easy to be proud of as an Australian. Go well
Brian
Guest
Beyond my understanding. Each to their own but she'll be a long-time retired just look at Borg, Clijsters, Hingis etc. Sometimes you don't know what you've got till its gone
mushi
Roar Guru
As maximus said "are you not entertained" She owes no more than she gave.
Slane
Guest
Hope she gives the AFLW a crack. Win a premiership with the Tigers.
Chanon
Roar Rookie
True it’s along road to achieve such a milestone but if your heart is not in it it’s time to retire. She’s always been a straight shooter best of luck in her future endeavours!
Jacko
Guest
She truly is a remarkable human. I read somewhere that there is some science behind her abilities ... she is possibly the most talented athlete and sports person Australia has produced in any sport, in any decade ... ever. And I believe it. Can see her having a few kids and being the number 1 golfer in the world at 35 years old. As a person who got turned off watching female tennis because of the squealing and constant noise about equal pay (which is actually now discriminatory against men ... 3 sets vs 5 sets ... a 40% hair cut for the dudes, same pay, no way) she just made it easy to watch, so very very gracious. You go gurl! Queenslader!
JGK
Roar Guru
The Barty party is over Barty deParty...
PeteB
Roar Rookie
She can and good on her if that is what she wants to do. From a selfish supporters perspective I’d like her to play on. It’s great having a tennis number 1 to support but it’s her life and her decision.
Chanon
Roar Rookie
She can put her feet up & play golf!