Tennis champion Ash Barty has announced her shock retirement from the sport at the age of 25. The World No 1 announced the news in an Instagram post on Wednesday, uploading a video of an interview with her friend and former player Casey Dellacqua.
WATCH: Ash Barty retires from tennis
“I’ll be retiring from tennis. That’s the first time I’ve said it out loud,” Ash said. “It’s hard to say but I’m so happy and I’m so ready. I know for me as a person that this is right.”
She went on to add: “I’m so grateful to everything that tennis has given me… but I know that the time is right now for me to step away and chase other dreams.”
It comes after the Australian favourite retired once earlier in her career, quitting to play professional cricket, before rediscovering her love for tennis.
“I know I’ve done this before but in a very different feeling and I am so grateful to everything that tennis has given me,” Ash explained in the interview.
“It’s given me all of my dreams, plus more, but I know that the time is right now for me to step away and chase other dreams and to put the racquets down.”
Ash went on to thank everyone who has supported her throughout her career, saying she will be grateful for the “lifelong memories”.
“I’ve had a lot of incredible moments in my career, that have been pivotal moments,” she said.
“Wimbledon last year changed a lot for me as a person and for me as an athlete when you work so hard your whole life for one goal, and I’ve been able to share that with so many incredible people,” she said.
“But to be able to win Wimbledon, which was my dream, my one true dream that I wanted in tennis, that really changed my perspective.”
The tennis pro also explained that it was the physical demands of getting to No.1 in the world that helped drive her decision.
“I’ve given absolutely everything, everything I can… I’ve said it to my team, multiple times, it’s just I don’t have that in me anymore.”
“I don’t have the physical drive the emotional want and everything it takes to challenge yourself at the very top level anymore,” she said.
“I’ve given absolutely everything I can to this beautiful sport of tennis and I’m really happy with that. And for me that that is my success.”
Congratulations to Ash on an incredible career! We can’t wait to see what happens next for the Australian icon. Right now, she’ll no doubt be busy planning her wedding ceremony with her fiancé Garry Kissick.
This article previously appeared on our sister site New Idea.
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