Vladimir Putin, Russian invasion ruined Ash Barty’s dream retirement plan

Winning the Australian Open seems like a dream farewell but Ash Barty actually had other plans before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

In hindsight, the cross-court forehand winner that sealed Ash Barty’s Australian Open triumph was the perfect way to sign off from her incredible — albeit short-lived — professional tennis career.

The 25-year-old said this week once she won Wimbledon last year her eyes were always on retirement. But she was enticed to give her home grand slam another crack and was intending on playing at least one more tournament before matters outside her control took that opportunity away from her.

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Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Barty suggested she planned to represent Australia one final time in April before putting the racquet down.

The Aussies were scheduled to play Slovakia in a qualifying tie for the Billie Jean King Cup (formerly the Fed Cup) midway through next month, but Russia’s widely-condemned invasion of Ukraine changed the make-up of the tournament.

Russia, having won the 2021 tournament, automatically qualified for this year’s finals but the International Tennis Federation (ITF) decided to ban the team from playing.

The sports world has taken action over Russia’s disturbing invasion of Ukraine. (Photo by Alexander NEMENOV / AFP)

That meant Russia’s place in the finals was taken by the highest-ranking losing semi-finalist from last year, which happened to be Australia. So the home tie against Slovakia was scrapped and the women in green and gold advanced directly.

Slovakia was given a bye and also progressed to the finals.

Barty wanted to represent her country again against Slovakia, but because Russia — and Belarus, too — were barred as part of sanctions imposed by the ITF for the invasion of Ukraine, she didn’t get that chance.

“Timing is everything, I’m a big believer in that. After the Australian Open, I was really hoping that we’d get the opportunity to play a home Fed Cup tie but that wasn’t to be, that wasn’t the case and I just knew that for me, the time was right,” Barty said on Thursday.

“I’d given absolutely everything that I could to this sport and I knew that it wouldn’t be fair to my team and to people who have invested so much time and energy into my life to not be 100 per cent committed for them.”

On Twitter, tennis reporter Ben Rothenberg said: “Remember the April BJK Cup tie in Brisbane cancelled indirectly because of Russia’s banishment? Barty was intending it as a hometown farewell.”

That Billie Jean King Cup tie would have been Barty’s final goodbye after she announced earlier in March she would not be competing at Indian Wells or Miami, but it was not to be.

Winning the Australian Open was the perfect sign-off in the end. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

Some more thinking after that disruption made it clear to Barty the time was right to walk away, and her final outing at Melbourne Park — becoming the first Australian woman in 44 years to win their home grand slam — seemed an apt way to leave the sport.

“There is no perfect way, there is no perfect timing but this was our perfect way, and it was a great finish,” Barty said.

“That crowd (for) the final of the Australian Open was like nothing I have ever played in front of before and it was so much fun to enjoy that with them as well as my team.

“Yeah, it was a brilliant way to finish.

“I have so much love and support, and I’m so lucky to get so much love and support here in Australia, and so many people have made my career so much more fun, and being able to share that with them and experience that with them made it all the better, and I think the Australian public allowed me to be myself.”

Thanks for the memories. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Barty plans to spend more time with her family and friends now she’s free of her professional tennis commitments, but wouldn’t divulge exactly what her next moves will be, telling reporters quizzing her on the topic to be “patient”.

“You have to wait and see,” she said with a grin on Thursday.

“I’m not giving you everything right now. It’s all right. You can be patient. Patience is a virtue.

“Be patient. It’s all right.

“I have always wanted to have the time to contribute more in other ways, and I think now I have got that opportunity, and I’ve been fortunate enough to have so many opportunities given to me from tennis, and now I’m ready to really give back in ways that I’m passionate about and visiting Uluru and being up in the community was just incredible.”