There are few more depressing sights in sport than watching a legend, in the twilight of their careers, going through the motions just because they don’t know how to let go.
Too many athletes, having reached the top through sheer effort and determination, keep on going way past their peak when the mind is still willing, but the body is no longer ready or able.
Not quitting while they are ahead or bowing out while at the top dents their reputations as they are outplayed and outperformed by the younger, fitter and hungrier generation of stars.
And that is why I have nothing but huge admiration for Ashleigh Barty, who shook the tennis world last week by announcing her retirement at the ripe young age of 25.
The Australian, who has been world number one for 114 consecutive weeks, decided it was time to stop being an ‘athlete’ and start being a ‘person’. And why the heck not?
The Australian, who has been world number one for 114 consecutive weeks, decided it was time to stop being an ‘athlete’ and start being a ‘person’
When she started in the sport her ambition was to win Wimbledon. She’s done that. And she’s also added a French Open and an Australian Open title as icing on the cake.
“I know that people may not understand it. I’m OK with that. Because I know that Ash Barty the person has so many dreams she wants to chase after that don’t necessarily involve travelling the world, being away from my family, from my home, which is where I’ve always wanted to be,” she said.
What you need to keep in mind is that people like Barty dedicate their entire existence to reaching the top of their chosen sport. Since she was a toddler, her life has revolved around training, travelling, playing, training, travelling, playing in a non-stop loop of tennis.
Unlike those other sportsmen and women I mentioned who get so immersed in their profession they can’t contemplate life on the outside, Barty is well aware that there are many other things she wants to do.
And tennis – from which she has earned tens of millions in prize money and probably the same in sponsorships and endorsements – has provided her with the means to go out and enjoy doing those things.
She gets to retire from her sport at the very top, having fulfilled her dreams and ambitions, with her legendary status intact for eternity and a bit of cash in the bank for a rainy day.
Sounds pretty close to perfect to me.
The wrong time to bow out
Shocked, stunned and not a little amazed.
Following their play-off semi-final defeat to North Macedonia on Thursday, Italy are going to miss out on the World Cup finals… for the second time in a row.
That will mean that, should they qualify for the 2026 edition, it will have been an incredible 12 years since between their appearances in football’s biggest competition. By then, there will be teenagers in Italy who have never seen the four-time champions play a game in the World Cup finals.
An absolutely mind-boggling thought, especially for those of us brought up on a relatively consistent procession of Italian success over the preceding decades.
Although I am an England supporter and well aware of the rivalry between the two nations here on our islands, I take no pleasure from Italy’s failure to qualify this time, just as I didn’t last time.
I would much rather have them in Qatar, because the whole tournament will feel that little bit less complete without them around.
Of course, what makes this whole thing even more bizarre is that just a few months ago Italy were crowned European champions after beating England in the final of Euro 2020 at Wembley.
To go from that incredible high to this sort of low in such a short period of time must be heartbreaking for the players, the manager and the fans.
Football can be an evil little thing, can’t it?
Hang on to the Italian job, Tammy
If I were Tammy Abraham, I would stick two fingers up at the Premier League and continue living the Italian dream.
The England striker has been a huge success since swapping his place on Chelsea’s bench for a starting role under José Mourinho at Roma, scoring 23 goals in 37 games for the club.
That has, as you would expect, got England’s top clubs all hot under the collar, and rumours are several are planning to make huge bids for him this summer – with the two Manchester clubs leading the way.
But if I were Abraham I would stay put.
In less than a season he has established himself as Roma’s new hero, the first Englishman to achieve proper and sustained success in Italy’s top-flight since, well, has there even been another one?
Gazza was, of course, a bit of a legend at Roma rivals Lazio. But that was as much for his antics off the pitch as his talents on it. And, considering he spent most of his time in Italy being stapled back together by club doctors, you could hardly call his achievements consistent.
Trevor Francis was relatively successful at Sampdoria, but even he didn’t have the sort of impact Abraham has had in his first season in a foreign land.
And that’s why I would turn down any Premier League advances if I were him.
He has the opportunity to become a true Serie A legend if he continues his success over the next couple of seasons. Then, when he does inevitably return to the Premier League at some point, he will have something on this CV that few English players have ever had – a sustained period of success overseas. And that will allow the lad, who is still only 24 let’s not forget, to go where and when he wants to on his own terms.
There is a problem with my plan for Abraham, however: Chelsea have a buy-back option of £67 million, which comes into play next year.
While Abraham may not be massively interested in moving back to a club that were relatively happy to let him go, he may still be tempted to go back and prove a point.
Which means Roma, heavily in debt, may be tempted to cash in this summer when they might even be able to get upwards of £100 million for the striker.
So I won’t be surprised if, one way or another, we see him back in the Premier League next season. In my mind, that will be about two years too soon…
E-mail: james@quizando.com
Twitter: @maltablade