World number 1 women’s Tennis player Ashleigh Barty made a shocking announcement Wednesday morning, revealing her decision to retire from the sport at the age of 25.

The announcement comes merely weeks after she won the 2022 Australian Open. Alongside a tearful video, Ashleigh Barty released a statement on Instagram which said, “Today is difficult and filled with emotion for me as I announce my retirement from tennis. I wasn’t sure how to share this news with you so I asked my good friend @caseydellacqua to help me. 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 that we created together. More to come tomorrow at my press conference.”

The three time Grand Slam champion has been world number one for over two years after winning the French Open in 2019, Wimbledon in 2021 and the Australian Open this year. Responding to Ashleigh Barry’s retirement announcement, the Women's Tennis Association tweeted, “Thank you for being an incredible ambassador for this sport and for women around the world. We will miss you so much, Ash.”

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