'It's the right time' - Why Barbara Schett is 'not surprised' at Ashleigh Barty retirement from tennis

Eurosport expert Barbara Schett has given her reaction to the shock retirement from tennis of world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty at the age of just 25. The Australian star, who became the first home player to win an Australian Open singles title in 44 years in January, shocked the sporting world on social media on Wednesday as she said she was leaving to «chase other dreams».

Ad/> Barty shared the news via a video posted on Instagram in which she sat down and chatted with her good friend and retired Australian tennis player Casey Dellacqua about the decision. Tennis'What a player' — Sports world reacts to huge shock as Barty retires from tennis3 HOURS AGO «Today is difficult and filled with emotion for me as I announce my retirement from tennis,» Barty, who has French Open, Wimbledon and Australian Open titles to her name, said in the conversation. «I'm so happy and I'm so ready.

And I just know at the moment in my heart, for me as a person, this is right. I am so thankful for everything this sport has given me and leave feeling proud and fulfilled. »Thank you to everyone who has supported me along the way, I'll always be grateful for the lifelong memories we created together." Tributes poured in from beyond tennis and across the sporting world after the Queenslander made the huge decision to call it quits, and Schett has said she was not particularly surprised.

«Well, to be honest, I was surprised that it happened today, but I'm actually not surprised that she is retiring,» Schett told Eurosport. «I always thought that she was not going to have a very long career. She did not love the game as much as maybe other players have loved it, and she is not driven by success or money or anything like that.