Tennis World Number One, Ashleigh Barty Retires At 25 | READ WHY

The Australian takes an early bow from the world of sports at age 25.

Barty's announcement comes weeks after she was certified the first home-grown champion of the famed Australian Open in 44 years, joining tennis royalty's most exclusive club with a Grand Slam crown on three different surfaces.

In a emotional video shared on her Instagram handle, the tennis player cum cricketer expressed her gratitude to fans, adding her exit from the sports work force is a move to enable her pursue other interests.

"Today is difficult and filled with emotion for me as I announce my retirement from tennis," she said in a video posted on Instagram.
I'm so happy, and I'm so ready and I just know at the moment in my heart as a person, this is right. I'm so grateful for everything that tennis has given me, it's given me all of my dreams plus more.
But I know the time is now right for me to step away and chase other dreams and put the racquets down."

The ace player who has been world number one for more than two years retires after winning three Grand Slam singles titles -the French Open in 2019, Wimbledon in 2021 and the Australian Open this year.