Ash Barty announces shock retirement from professional tennis at 25

Our very own, World No.1 Ash Barty has just announced that she has chosen to retire from professional tennis at the age of 25. Calling on friend, former player and tennis broadcaster, Casey Dellacqua, Barty made the announcement in a video posted to her Instagram page today. In the video, Barty is grateful for everything tennis has provided her, saying "I know the time is right now for me to step away and chase other dreams…and to put the rackets down".

When asked 'why now?' she responded that she knew her whole perspective had changed after achieving the one, life-long, true tennis dream, winning Wimbledon. With the win at Wimbledon and becoming World No. 1. Although she had that gut feeling of already knowing what to do, she still felt as though something was missing, she wasn’t completely satisfied. Following on from Wimbledon, the next challenge she was to face was the Australian Open. She felt the Australian Open was the perfect send off, and opportunity to celebrate her career and all her achievements; "That for me just feels like the most perfect way, my perfect way, to celebrate what an amazing journey my tennis career has been. As a person this is what I want, I want to chase after some other dreams that I've always wanted to." "I've said it multiple times, its just I don’t have that in me anymore. I don’t have the physical drive, the emotional want, and everything that it takes to challenge yourself at the very top level anymore. I just know that I'm absolutely… I am spent. I know physically I have nothing more to give." "I have given absolutely everything that I can to this beautiful sport of tennis. I am happy with that, that to me that is my success." "Now, I think its important I get to enjoy the next phase of my life as Ash Barty the person, not Ash Barty the athlete." Ash Barty stated in the caption of the video, that there aremore details to come in a press conference tomorrow.