‘All of a sudden, things are not looking great’: Barty Party is over, now the hangover begins

As Daria Saville was posting her first win at major level in more than a year on Monday, a star who once carried Australian tennis could be spotted among the crowd at Roland Garros.

US Open winner Sam Stosur was the first of the two big retirements in Australian tennis this year that have left the cupboard looking distinctly bare when it comes to major contenders.

When Ash Barty thumped a forehand winner past Danielle Collins to claim the Australian Open in January, the champagne was flowing as the nation celebrated a generational talent.

The Barty Party felt like it was just warming up when the three-time major winner retired in March. The bar closed abruptly, bottles were re-corked and a hangover loomed large.

The “After Ash” era has begun and the first grand slam since her retirement in Paris proved a sobering affair for local hopefuls.

With Dasha Saville’s exit in the third round on Friday ending a promising tournament from the former world No 20, not one Australian progressed to the last 16 of the French Open.

Stosur, who is hoping to mentor the next generation of Australian talent when she hangs up her racquet after a last lap on the doubles circuit, noted from Paris: “I think Ash covered up a few holes in where our players are”.

“All of a sudden, things are not looking so great,” she said.

Australia’s top-ranked man Alex de Minaur exited in the opening round and has just two wins from six visits to Paris, though his form on clay in the lead-in events was stronger.

Former boys champion Alexei Popyrin has just one win from four attempts.

On the day Jason Kubler was beaten in straight sets by Cameron Norrie, Nick Kyrgios was training on a practice court in Australia when not belittling Bernard Tomic on social media.