Despite the current trend in sports, don't anticipate Ashleigh Barty to come out of retirement.

Christopher Clarey's

Tennis has been bracing for major farewells for years, with all of its old and ill legends. However, players such as Roger Federer, Serena and Venus Williams, and Andy Murray have defied the timeframe and expectations by persevering and refusing to retire through competitiveness, tenacity, and a love of the game and the platform.

That's why Wednesday was such a surprise.

By these new-age norms, Ashleigh Barty was just getting started. She was ranked No. 1 at the age of 25 and has three Grand Slam singles victories under her belt, including Wimbledon last year and the Australian Open in January. Already a national legend, she possessed the beautiful game and winning demeanor to become a global brand as the majors and seasons progressed.

But Barty was on her own timeline, and after much thought, she is retiring on top, the very top, which may sound nice and tidy but actually necessitates the self-awareness and bravery to leave a few things unfinished.

If Barty retires, she will never win a U.S. Open singles championship, never win the Billie Jean King Cup team event for Australia, never win an Olympic gold medal, and never achieve the calendar-year Grand Slam that her Australian predecessors Rod Laver and Margaret Court did more than 50 years ago.

But a champion's life is more than a checklist, and as Federer and his enduring peer group will undoubtedly testify, it is only worthwhile to travel to such low-oxygen locations if you actually love the voyage.

Barty, a young prodigy who won the Wimbledon girls title at the age of 15, has long appeared to be someone whose talent took her further than she desired.

Rennae Stubbs, an Australian player, coach, and ESPN analyst, remarked of Barty's retirement, "I'm startled and not stunned." "Ash is not an egotistical person who craves more. She's content and will never have to leave her hometown or family again. And she's happy with her accomplishments right now."

The journeys are lengthier for Australians, who were isolated during the pandemic under some of the tightest lockdowns and quarantine laws in the world.

Barty spent the entire year of 2020 in Australia, preferring to stay in Brisbane rather than travel abroad to compete when tournaments restarted following a forced hiatus. She departed the country for many months in 2021 after winning four titles, including Wimbledon, to cement her No. 1 ranking. However, after losing early in the US Open, Barty went to Australia and missed the rest of the season, leaving him mentally depleted.

That could have been a hint that early retirement was a possibility; that balance and personal well-being were important to Barty, especially now that her financial future was secure. Her return to competition came in January, when she broke Australia's 44-year drought by capturing the Australian Open singles title – without dropping a single set. She howled with glee after her forehand passing shot victory over American Danielle Collins.

Perhaps it was a relief scream in retrospect. What appeared to be her most recent accomplishment turned out to be her best triumph. She did not pick up a racket again, even to practice, after winning the title in Melbourne. She withdrew from the renowned hardcourt tournaments at Indian Wells and Miami.

"I don't think Ash has ever been part of a current," said Micky Lawler, president of the Women's Tennis Association, who spoke with Barty before her declaration on Tuesday. "This isn't a new occurrence for her. "I think she's always been extremely resolute and clear about where she stood in her life and where tennis stood in her life."

That insight was acquired the hard way. Since she broke away from the tour and its pressures for the first time at the age of 17, dejected and homesick, Barty has developed and learnt a great lot about herself via treatment and life experience. As NFL quarterback Tom Brady continues to demonstrate, sports comebacks are still popular.

"I believe this is her ultimate decision," Lawler speculated. "She would have a much better chance of returning if she resided in the United States or Europe," he added. "I think the fact that she's in Australia and loves Australia and likes being home had a significant factor in how she decided this and when she decided this, and that will make a comeback that much more difficult."

Lawler stated that during their talk, Barty made it obvious that she did not want to continue putting travel demands on her seasoned Australian coach, Craig Tyzzer.

Perhaps Barty will take up new athletic challenges. During her first break from tennis, she demonstrated her ability to be a world-class cricketer, and she is an exceptional golfer who is engaged to Garry Kissick, an Australian professional golfer. Other women's tennis players, such Althea Gibson, have shifted to professional golf, although that move seemed improbable given the sport's global travel requirements.

Without Barty, the WTA obviously knows how to crown winners and do business. Despite finishing the season at No. 1 for the past three years, she has not been a dominant presence there due to her lengthy absences from the sport. But, no matter how well-thought-out her decision, it is still unfortunate for tennis that she did not want to carry the torch forward.