“I think I’m done” – Barty reveals the moment that led to her retirement in upcoming autobiography
In her new book, My Dream Time, Ash Barty talks about how winning Wimbledon led to her eventual retirement and how she struggled with insecurities about her body
Ash Barty with the 2021 Wimbledon trophy
Image Credit: AI/Reuters/Panoramic
Former world No 1 Ash Barty, who stunned the tennis world which her sudden retirement in March this year, just weeks after winning the Australian Open, has shed some more light on what led her to quit the sport in hew new book, My Dream Time, which is due out next week.
Barty, who won Wimbledon last year for her second career singles Grand Slam, said it was winning the grass court Major, which had been a childhood dream of hers, that led to a loss of motivation and the eventual decision to step away from the game.
In an extract of her book, published by The Courier-Mail, Barty says ,”I don’t know what I’m playing for anymore. I think I’m done … I have got nothing left, no spark,” she told her manager’s husband who was also her training partner.
“I see now that all sport is mountain climbing. We set our sights on a summit and, step by step, we trudge towards that peak … But what do we do when we reach the pinnacle – when we finally win our Grand Final or our World Cup or our Wimbledon? Do we stop, sit, enjoy the view and breathe? Do we take the time to appreciate what we’ve done, and move on to something new? No. In sport, we simply return to base camp every year and begin the journey of attempting to summit once again,” she writes.
“I’m loving the way my life is at the moment” – Barty shuts down hopes of a comeback
Meanwhile, in an interview with News Corp about the book, Barty said she struggled with insecurities about her body but wanted to open up about it so that it would help others accept themselves.
“I went through that like a lot of people do and a big part of my passion now is to encourage girls and boys to be comfortable in themselves. It helped me realise that imperfections are part of all of us and they are ok. By sharing some of my insecurities hopefully it can help them realise a lot of people go through it.”
As much as her fans may wish her to return, Barty, who married golfer Garry Kissick in July this year, said she has no plans for a comeback and is enjoying her life back home.
“The last six or seven months of my life have been everything I have ever wanted,” Barty said as per Eurosport. “I’m loving the way my life is at the moment. I won’t even be estranged from the tennis world… but I just won’t be out there for me.’’
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