Reigning Wimbledon and Australian Open champion Ash Barty retires from tennis at age of 25

World number one Ash Barty has announced her retirement from professional tennis at the age of 25. The Australian, who has won three grand slams and is the reigning Wimbledon and Australian Open champion, said she was retiring from the sport to "chase other dreams".

The Queenslander revealed she was retiring in an Instagram video recorded with friend and former doubles partner Casey Dellacqua. Barty said: "I kind of wasn’t quite sure how I was going do this but I think so many times in my life both my professional and my personal, you’ve been there for me.

"And I just couldn’t think ‘there’s no right way, there’s no wrong way’. It’s just my way and this is perfect for me to share it with you to talk to you about it with my team, my loved ones, that I’ll be retiring from tennis. And so first time I’ve actually said it out loud and yeah, it’s hard to say, but 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’ve had a lot of incredible moments in my career that have been pivotal moments," she added. "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.

"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." Barty promised in the caption to the video there would be "more to come tomorrow" at a press conference.

Barty began playing tennis at the age of four and had a promising junior career, which culminated in winning the girls' singles title at Wimbledon in 2011. Success on the WTA Tour came on the doubles circuit during the early stages of her