Well that didn’t last very long. Ash’s career is over and it was purely her choice. At just 25, it seems she has achieved everything she wanted to from tennis. She can now move on to bigger and better things (which might be hard to do!)

It’s come at a fair shock to everyone and now all people are spending their time doing is guessing what she’s going to do next. Will she go back to cricket? Will she play AFLW? Everyone is asking the same questions. 

She is engaged so perhaps she wants to take a step back from the public eye for a while and start a family. Realistically, she would be able to live the rest of her life without working another day but I don’t think that’s Ash. She’s a highly driven and motivated character. She has conquered Wimbledon and now her home slam, I guess she feels she can do no more. 

Ash is an inspiration. She is a quiet achiever and is seriously the most humble global athlete to come out of our country in years. As a proud Indigenous woman of the Ngaragu people, she advocates for our outspoken and highly under-represented Indigenous population. 

Like Cathy Freeman before her, Ash has inspired a new generation of young Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians to follow her lead. Just like every year when the tennis rolls around, it makes me want to go hire a court for a hit every January. Ash only adds to that desire.

Our main advocates for Australian tennis over the last 10 or so years have mainly been Nick Kyrgios (whom I now have a huge respect and support for) and bloody Bernard Tomic. It seems like every year, when I’m trying to book a court, I’ve got a new self-made Bernard Tomic hype video popping up on the screen instead. It’s trying to tell me how much of a changed man he is, all for him to get knocked out in straight sets in the first round of qualifiers every year. 

It’s been a breath of fresh air to have someone so well spoken representing our nation. She is respected globally by fans and opponents all around the world. We finally have someone who represents Australia whom we can be proud of. Ash is a seriously good tennis player and she seems like an even better person.

Of course we are sad that the world’s best women’s singles tennis player is retiring but she is only 25 and has so much ahead of her. Personally, I don’t mind what she goes to next. I’m sure it won’t be long until she’s the best at whatever she chooses to do.

Photography credit: Cameron Spencer