It feels like Ash Barty only just won the 2022 Australian Open on home soil, and just as the celebrations were concluding, she has now announced her retirement from the sport.
Barty held the World No. 1 position for a period of nearly three years, lasting from June 2019 to March 2022, and has undoubtedly left her mark in the sport and will continue to be remembered for her accomplishments.
Here are my top seven Ash Barty moments.
Barty’s last Grand Slam
It is often said that players must retire on a high. It is always a great feeling when you leave the sport after a significant accomplishment. Many assumed that her win at the 2022 Australian Open would just be another one of the many titles she was destined to win. However, Barty retired soon after she won the Australian Open earlier this year. It is difficult to make sense of the situation: remain satisfied that she retired on a high, or look down thinking of what she could have achieved in the sport?
Humility shone throughout
It is one thing to be a champion, but it’s another thing to be a respectable sportsperson. Most sportspersons who are respected remain humble throughout their career. After winning her title earlier this year, Barty spoke of the great players whose standards she had not come close to. The likes of Rod Laver and Goolagong Cawley to mention some of the players she looks up to.
Preempted retirement?
Athletes generally retire at the latter parts of their career, when they hit an age that forces them to take the decision. Typically, this decision comes once athletes enter into their thirties. Ash Barty has retired at the age of 25, which is quite astonishing.
First retirement
It has become a trend for athletes to retire and make a comeback. Some athletes do this on several occasions. With Ash Barty in particular, this story has been told once already. In 2014, she decided to retire from tennis to enjoy the life of an average teenager. However, she returned to professional tennis in 2016. Having understood this sequence of events, one can never put it past athletes to make a comeback in the future.
Retiring at No. 1
It is quite a spectacle to see an athlete retire at No.1, let alone after they have held the position for several years. Barty nearly completed three years sitting on top of the tennis charts for the singles division. The sheer magnitude of her achievement speaks volumes of the player she has been.
First Grand Slam victory
Barty stacked up three Grand Slam victories in her career: one French Open, one Wimbledon title and one Australian Open. The first of these victories came in France during the 2019 Roland Garros. First victories are indeed sweet, and this one definitely counts as one of the best Ash Barty moments ever.
Prestigious Wimbledon victory
One of the most prestigious Grand Slams is Wimbledon. To win on the lawns of Wimbledon is something every player dreams of. Barty’s dreams turned into reality when she won the 2021 Wimbledon. This was to be her second Grand Slam title which would go on to help her continue at the No. 1 spot in tennis rankings.
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