Golden girl Ash Barty broke Aussie hearts when she announced her retirement after winning the Australian Open – but that wasn’t the way she wanted her storied career to end.
Barty has since married long-time partner Garry Kissick, made a move in the corporate world, done ‘shoeys’ and played a few rounds of golf.
Tennis is firmly in the rear-vision mirror.
Talking to the Fitzy (Ryan Fitzgerald) and Wippa (Michael Wipfli) podcast, Barty admitted the Australian Open wasn’t her retirement target.
Ash Barty married long-term partner Garry Kissick after announcing her retirement from professional sport
Barty’s last tournament was the Australian Open – which she won – though she had intended to play another before retiring
She had not hoped or planned for some sort of fairytale ending in front of Aussie fans.
Instead, she was intent on leading Australia to a win at the Billie Jean Cup – the premier international team competition in women’s tennis.
Barty, along with Ajla Tomljanovic and Sam Stosur, led Australia to the final in 2019, before they went down to France 2-3.
Ash Barty with the Billie Jean King Cup in 2019 after beating Elina Svitolina. Australia would eventually finish runners-up
A tie was set to take place in Australia during April, but it was cancelled due to the pandemic.
Guiding her country to a win would have been the perfect end for a player who thrives in a team environment – but it wasn’t to be.
‘I went through phases,’ she said of her decision to retire, before pinpointing when she turned a corner in the process.
‘After Wimbledon, my priorities shifted quite a lot … then the Australian Open, it wasn’t the result that was the catalyst for the decision, in my mind the decision had already been made.
‘There was a Billie Jean King Cup tie that was meant to be played in Australia, and for me that was my target; but the tie was cancelled and I was like “oh, OK, now I’m retired” … and that was all she wrote.’
Ash Barty announced her retirement in an emotional video released in March this year
She said her priorities had shifted, and that the decision was ‘everything we (her and partner Garry Kissick, pictured) ever wanted’
When Barty released the video announcing she was retiring, to the shock and sadness of Aussies and tennis fans all over the world, it really was just business as usual for her and Kissick.
‘Garry (Kissick) was out getting some groceries and I was like ‘you need to get home, we’re doing the announcement’,’ said Barty.
‘Pretty much for us we just shut up shop at home; didn’t have our phones on, didn’t have the TV on, and just let the reaction and news spread.
‘Nothing changed for us, it was everything we ever wanted,’ Barty said, in what will likely melt the hearts of Aussies all over again.
Top Aussie tennis coach Wally Masur said what many fans were thinking recently when he revealed Barty ‘left a few (Grand) Slams on the table’.
Ash Barty, pictured winning the French Open in 2019, admitted she had thoughts of retirement for over eight months before the announcement
Barty has been quite vocal about shutting down talk of every return to any sort of professional sport ever again, though she did admit the tennis court is where she ‘feels the most comfortable’.
‘I was quite placid and pretty chill … there was certainly fire in the belly, but I didn’t like to put it out there too much,’ she said of her no-fuss, laidback demeanour on the court.
‘That’s where I feel most comfortable is on the court, that’s my bubble; no one could touch me when I was on the playing surface.
‘It’s routine, it’s monotonous, but it was the game that I love so much … and I was fortunate to have so many cool memories from it,’ said Barty.
When Ash Barty won Wimbledon in 2021 it sparked thoughts of retirement, before she eventually officially announced her decision in March 2021
You’ll see tennis players like Nick Kyrgios and Daniil Medvedev make a bit of a fuss on court sometimes, smashing racquets and remonstrating with fans and umpires.
Not our Ash.
‘I was more on edge in practice and preseasons than I was in a match, because in a match you put that poker face on where you don’t want to let your opponent in too much,’ said Barty.
‘I loved the deception and manipulation of what you are trying to make the opponent do.’
Since retiring, Barty has taken to the golf course several times (though she said ‘not as often as you all think’) – sparking rumours of turning pro – and is now Optus’ Chief of Inspiration.
Ash Barty has taken to many a golf course since retiring to enjoy a casual round, take part in charity tournaments or even play against some of the top sports stars in the world
Her move into the corporate world quite likely slams the door shut on a return to professional sport, though she did joke that the professional ‘darts atmosphere is right up my alley’.
She even admitted she might just ‘pull the whites on’ and take part in an enthusiastic push from ‘Fitzy and Whippa’ to have a game of backyard cricket at the Prime Ministerial residence, Kirribilli House.
Given the enormous power she showed in her short WBBL stint, six-and-out into Sydney Harbour would be a very real proposition if she does strap on the pads.
Either way, Ash Barty will no doubt to continue to inspire Aussies in all of her future endeavours.
