The announcement of Ashleigh Barty’s retirement shook everyone on Tuesday night. At 25, the best tennis player on the planet was retiring to the top. The Australian is calm with her decision and has not completely closed the door to a possible return…
Posted at 12:23 a.m.
Updated at 0:31
Barty is only in her mid-twenties and already her resume put her among the greatest in the history of her sport.
Four Grand Slam titles, including three singles on three different surfaces. 15 singles tracks. 12 duplicate titles. 114 consecutive weeks ranked No. 1 in the world, the fourth longest streak in women’s tennis history. 121 weeks in total, good for seventh all-time.
In an interview posted to her Instagram account on Tuesday, Barty explained that she hung up her racquet because she felt like she had given her all physically and mentally for her sport.
There was nothing conventional in the manner of announcing this unexpected retirement. His age, his world ranking, his choice to do so at the start of the season, a long interview and between two major tournaments. It’s all in the image of the Australian, who has always done things her way.
“The hardest part was stepping down on my own terms. The time had come and I wanted to communicate it well and with the interview it was the perfect way to do it. It’s scary, but it’s exciting. Even if it’s something new, I can’t wait to see what the future holds for the person I am and not just the athlete, “she explained at a press conference in front of the media around the world, late Wednesday evening. The Press was able to participate and even interact with the one who will be world number one until the end of the Miami tournament.
In the short term, the champion would like to be able to give back to the community and to her sport. She would like to get involved with young girls and boys who would like to realize their dreams in the world of tennis. It is in this way that she would like to lead her post-career.
The time had come
Barty is clear; she has no regrets. She made all her wildest dreams come true. She has always done things by following her instincts. Like retiring for almost two years between 2014 and 2016 to go play cricket. On the rise in the world of tennis, she decided to go against the current and leave to come back better. She also identifies this moment as the most important and significant of her career.
It was on her return that the great player she became was born.
To make this far from trivial decision to announce her retirement, the Australian still followed what seemed to be the right thing to do for her, without asking too many questions.
“I never had to prove anything to anyone. I always did the things that seemed to be good for me. I have always believed in timing and the good timing it is now to step aside and face new challenges. »
Although she leaves a lesser legacy than one might expect in terms of accomplishments, trophies and victories, Barty wants to be remembered as an honest player, down to earth and who has always had a huge respect for the sport that allowed her to become the person she is today.
“I never tried to pretend I was someone I wasn’t. Every time I’ve been on the court I’ve been true to myself, an honest player and fair play. No matter the outcome, my relationship with the players has never been affected. It’s something my parents instilled in me when I was very young; to be respectful and to have the courage to play in all circumstances. Despite the success, I stayed the same off the pitch. »
This attitude has also been welcomed by the other players on the circuit as well as by various players in the world of tennis since the announcement. Praises are pouring in from all sides. Barty was unanimous and it is probably his most significant achievement.
“I was really lucky to receive so much love and support. I wasn’t sure how the news was going to be received, but I was overwhelmed to see how positive the comments were and how many people contacted me. It warms my heart to see that so many of my competitors on the circuit, with whom I have built very good relationships over the years, have greeted me. I will definitely miss them. »
Now, many have spoken over the past few hours that if Barty had returned to the game after a long hiatus a first time, she could very well do it again a second time.
“Never say never, but I have no intention of coming back anytime soon,” she said.
She is extremely talented in several disciplines and one of her favorite sports is golf. After tennis and cricket, would she be tempted to try to pursue a career on the greens?
“You would like that, huh? ! We will wait. I will continue to practice before I start thinking about playing on the professional circuit! »