Ash Barty cuts a relaxed figure in the backyard of her Brisbane home, while her adored dogs play in the background and the former world No. 1 mulls over the next chapter of her life. The recent drop in temperature in south-east Queensland has brought some relief to the expecting mother who, after a whirlwind year that has defied her retirement expectations, will “shut up shop” on Monday after concluding her last ambassadorial role.
The three-time grand slam champion, who is expecting her first child, has found the 15 months since she decided to retire from professional tennis to be both thrilling and difficult. Barty has been busier than she could have ever imagined, from publishing her autobiography My Dream Time to mentoring young players such as the rising sensation Olivia Gadecki, from competing in a golf exhibition in the United States to her upcoming role as the face of the Australian Made Week campaign.
She says, “There were times when I felt like I had no idea what I was doing, and other times when I felt like there weren’t enough hours in the day.” “The book tour… was a massive undertaking that required a great deal of time and effort.
Emotionally and mentally, it probably drained me more than I thought it would.
“But it was incredible. It was a great opportunity to figuratively draw a line in the sand, close the chapter, and look forward to what comes next. Then, a few months ago, [the pregnancy] turned our universe and our future on its head. It’s been difficult. However, it has been distinctive and essentially everything I could have wished for.”
Since her retirement in March 2022, the 27-year-old has traveled extensively throughout Australia and abroad for work and foundation-related endeavors, as well as for personal reasons. Her first excursion to Uluru, where she coached children in the shadow of the famous sandstone monolith, and cheering on compatriot Cam Smith at the 150th Open at St. Andrews were also highlights. She also traveled to New Zealand on her honeymoon with her husband Garry Kissick, but the couple has “put away” their passports and baggage in preparation for parenthood.
The quantity of tennis that Barty has watched over the past year, which she never did when she was a world-class player, has surprised her. She is satisfying her competitive desires on the golf course, but she misses strategizing with her former instructor Craig Tyzzer.
“Probably what I miss the most is the thrill of the fight with Tyzz, where we would sit down and devise a strategy to completely unravel our opponent,” she says. “What I enjoyed most was the tactical aspect of the game and being able to make my opponent feel extremely uncomfortable with my abilities and weapons. I miss spending time with… my entire staff. However, our relationship has not altered. I will state that the contact is not as frequent or intense as it once was. But the team’s football betting account is still active, so the banter continues.”
Barty, Tyzzer, and Jason Stoltenberg, who also coached Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt, have formed a consultancy to mentor promising Australian tennis players.
They “have different methods and philosophies” but share the aim of “turning good people into great athletes with a genuine opportunity to do something extraordinary.”
“As an athlete, I believe you become quite self-absorbed and selfish, albeit in a positive way,” she says. “It’s been great to take off the blinkers and view things with a broader perspective. It has been a pleasure to work with them over the past twelve months. It is a distinct ability. I was fortunate to have them accompany me on my voyage. I’m relishing it immensely to be able to collaborate with them and pick their brains.”
In the lead-up to Roland Garros, she has been captivated by the increasing rivalry between the world’s top two women, Iga Swiatek, and Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka. Swiatek and Barty bonded over their shared passion for literature, and the Polish champion caught up with her predecessor as world No. 1 in January in Brisbane.
Barty is also concerned about the situation of her close companion Simona Halep, who has been provisionally suspended since October due to a positive drug test.
Halep, 31 years old, recently appealed with authorities to expedite an investigation into the circumstances surrounding her September positive test for Roxadustat at the US Open.
“I adore Simo and I respect Simo. I’ve checked in with her a few times over the past year or so, just to see how she’s doing. She is an exceptional person, according to Barty. Because there are always two sides to a story, I earnestly hope that she is given the chance to state her position and explain her perspective. It would be difficult to find someone who wouldn’t want to see her back doing what she enjoys, which is competing against the best in the world on a large stage.”
It is one thing to observe her allies and former adversaries trading groundstrokes.
Barty, however, is less in tune with current events, claiming that her family rarely watches television until the evening. She is aware of the debate surrounding the referendum on the Indigenous voice in parliament that will be held later this year, and she acknowledges that “it’s an important discussion, without question.”
When queried for her opinion, she preferred to emphasize her ongoing work with Indigenous communities, noting that she will have her hands full in the second half of the year. “My focus remains on assisting the Ash Barty Foundation in providing opportunities for First Nations youth in sport and education,” she says. I’m about to take some time off to be a mother and spend time with my family, but supporting First Nations people will always be a top priority for me.
Barty competed in the star-studded Icon Series at the Liberty National Golf Course in New Jersey shortly after she retired from tennis. This, she jokes, stoked rumors of a possible career change, but it was as far from her consciousness as a comeback to tennis.
Before becoming a mother, Barty hopes to smuggle in a few more rounds on her local course with her husband, but the former Brookwater Golf Club women’s champion has noticed an unexpected pregnancy side effect that has caused her some annoyance.
She says, “I’ve always had a bit of a fade, but all of a sudden I’ve developed a very circular swing and am hitting these draws.” “Attempting to reach the object is somewhat more difficult. There have been some excellent rounds, but there have also been some absolute disasters. I’ll attempt to hold on if I can, but I’m not sanguine.”
