Former world number one Ash Barty shocked the world when she announced her retirement from professional tennis.
She bows out of the game at just 25 years of age and on the back of winning the Australian Open.
Why did Ash Barty retire from tennis?
At the top of the tennis world, Barty has decided to walk away from the game in her prime.
Recent success at Wimbledon and the Australian Open has seemingly prompted the call as she looks to pursue new challenges.
"Me as a person, this is right. I know I've done this before but in a very different feeling," Barty said in a Q+A she shared on Instagram.
"I'm so grateful for everything tennis has given me. It's given me all of my dreams, plus more, but I know the time is right for me to step away and chase other dreams.
"It's something I've been thinking about for a long time.
"Wimbledon last year changed a lot for me as a person and athlete...to be able to win Wimbledon, which was my one true dream in tennis, it really changed my perspective.
"There was a part of me that wasn't quite satisfied, wasn't quite fulfilled.
"Then came the challenge of the Australian Open and I think that for me just feels like 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 other dreams that I've always wanted to...I'm really, really excited."
What's next for Ash Barty?
Ash Barty has enjoyed a foray into golf, most recently winning the ladies golf championship at the Brookwater Golf and Country Club in early April just weeks after her tennis retirement.
She is now set to continue down this path, announcing her participation in a global golf event in New Jersey in June.
The former tennis star will take part in the inaugural Icons Series event which sees participants play nine holes at the Liberty National course.
Barty won't be the only notable sporting figure in attendance, with Tottenham player Harry Kane, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, and swimming icon Michael Phelps set to join in on the action.
Golf appears to be her short-term focus, but her long-term future may not involve sport at all based on her initial comments when she announced her tennis retirement.
"I know people may not understand it and that's ok because I know for me, Ash Barty the person has so many dreams that she wants to chase after that don't necessarily involve travelling the world, being away from my family, from being away from my home," Barty said.
"Now I think it's important I get to enjoy the next phase of my life as Ash Barty the person and not Ash Barty the athlete."
Ash Barty retirement press conference
What grand slams and major titles did Ash Barty win?
| Year | Tournamet |
|---|---|
| 2022 | Australian Open |
| 2021 | Cincinnati Open |
| 2021 | Miami Open |
| 2021 | Wimbledon |
| 2019 | Miami Open |
| 2019 | WTA Finals |
| 2019 | French Open |
| 2019 | Italian Open (doubles) |
| 2018 | WTA Elite Trophy |
| 2018 | Canadian Open (doubles) |
| 2018 | Italian Open (doubles) |
| 2018 | Miami Open (doubles) |
| 2018 | US Open (doubles) |
Ash Barty's results prior to retirement
| Date | Result/Opponent | Tournament/Round |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 29, 2022 | Won 6-3 7-6 vs Danielle Collins | Australian Open/Final |
| Jan 27, 2022 | Won 6-1 6-3 vs Madison Keys | Australian Open/Semi-finals |
| Jan 25, 2022 | Won 6-2 6-0 vs Jessica Pegula | Australian Open/Quarter-finals |
| Jan 23, 2022 | Won 6-4 6-3 vs Amanda Anisimova | Australian Open/R16 |
| Jan 21, 2022 | Won 6-2 6-3 vs Camila Giorgi | Australian Open/R32 |
| Jan 19, 2022 | Won 6-1 6-1 vs Lucia Bronzetti | Australian Open/R64 |
| Jan 17, 2022 | Won 6-0 6-1 vs Lesia Tsurenko | Australian Open/R128 |
How long was Ash Barty world No.1?
The Australian sat atop the women's singles rankings for a total of 121 weeks with her run prior to retirement lasting 114 consecutive weeks.
After ending 2021 as the top ranked female player, Barty became just the fifth woman in history to finish the year as No.1 for three years running.
At the time of her retirement, the 25-year-old was over 2000 points clear of the next best ranked WTA player.
How much prize money did Ash Barty win?
With three grand slams to her name, Barty accumulated a sizeable amount of prize money.
According to the offical WTA website, the Australian's prize money total at the time of her retirement sat at US$23,829,071.
Barty's 2022 Australian Open triumph alone brought in $2,163,220.