TENNIS and HOUSEKEEPING: Barty’s shock retirement

[feather_ghyll]

Well, I was shocked to learn that Ash Barty, world no. 1, reigning champion of Wimbledon and the Australian Open, has decided to retire in her mid twenties. Her reasons seem fair enough, and one can only wish her well. There’s a little part of me that wonders if she’ll feel the same in a few years’ time, but that’s an older outsider’s perspective, and she isn’t Justine Henin or Serena Williams, she’s her own person. The reaction I’ve read shows how popular and respected she is. I’ve learned that she’s been the world no. 1 for a very long stretch, and only five legends of the sport have been number 1 longer, so for all that I’ve talked about volatility in women’s tennis, I’ve been guilty of going by Grand Slams. Apparently, Barty and Osaka, the two big Slam winners of recent years, have managed to avoid playing each other and it now looks as if that rivalry will never happen. Osaka famously has found tennis as is problematic fr her mental welfare. So, the highest ranked player these days is young Iga Swiatek after winning at Indian Wells, who does have the French under her belt. The French Open that will be aired on Eurosport and Amazon, ugh.

A housekeeping note: I shall only be posting here, not crossposting to Livejournal, I know I haven’t posted much recently, although I generally don’t at the start of a year.