World tennis No. 1 Ash Barty calls her stunning decision to retire 'scary but exciting'

In her first news conference since announcing her immediate retirement from professional tennis, three-time major champion and current world No. 1 Ash Barty called her decision «scary but exciting» and said she was looking forward to working with Australian junior players in the near future, as well as spending time with her family.

«It's exciting because there are so many things Ash Barty, the person wants to achieve and dreams that I want to chase after,» Barty told a group of international reporters on a video call on Thursday in Australia. «But I think my purpose won't change, I just get to contribute in a different way. I get to contribute more on the tennis side with the younger girls, younger boys and throughout the communities, which is exciting for me.»

Barty, 25, stunned the tennis world on Wednesday with a six-minute Instagram video in which she said she would be stepping away from the game, effective immediately, to «chase other dreams.» In the clip, which was recorded as an interview with her friend and former doubles partner Casey Dellacqua, Barty confessed she no longer had «the physical drive, the emotional want and everything it takes to challenge yourself at the very top of the level any more.»

«I am spent,» she said.

Barty revealed she was initially planning on playing in Australia's clash at home against Slovakia in the qualifiers for the Billie Jean King Cup next month before retiring, but the event was ultimately cancelled after Australia took Russia's spot in the finals and no longer needed to qualify.

In January, Barty ended a 44-year title drought for home players at the Australian Open following an impressive straight-set victory over American Danielle Collins in the final. She never dropped a