The difficult art of going out on a high
Barty joins a short list of champions who went out at their peak, PLUS: Two treats from the the pod.
If you’re blown away by the decision of Ash Barty to pull the pin on her tennis career aged just 25, you’re not alone.
Two things stood out: for many top-level athletes the journey is far more interesting than the destination; the self-awareness of Barty to recognise that.
Barty retired in classy fashion, sitting down to talk with friend and fellow tennis pro Casey Dellacqua.
I love this quote so much.
“There was a perspective shift in the second phase of my career in that my happiness was not dependent on results.”
That’s never going to replace Lombardi’s catchy “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing” in gyms and changing sheds around the world, but high-performance sport would be such a healthier environment if it was.
Barty refused to be defined by the games she played. That’s why she can walk away so easily and, most importantly, so contentedly.
Barty knew what it took to win grand slams and didn’t want to commit to it again. Why force it? She’s not a Serena Williams or a Roger Federer. Staying on top never held as much appeal as becoming successful.
It’s a shame in so many ways because tennis will be poorer for her absence…
… but this guy is so right and this image is too.
I was trying to think of title-winning sporting stars who have retired while at the absolute peak of their games and it’s harder than you think.
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