Ash Barty has announced her immediate retirement from tennis.
Barty, 25, on Wednesday chose an Instagram interview with friend and former doubles partner Casey Dellacqua to reveal her decision and the reasons behind it.
"I wasn't quite sure how I was going to do this; so many times in my life, both professional and personal, you've been there for me," Barty told Dellacqua. "And I just couldn't think -- there is no right way, 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 will be retiring from tennis.
"It's the first time I've actually said it out loud and it's hard to say. But I am so happy, and I'm so ready. And I just know at the moment, in my heart for me as a person, that this is right. "
Barty won the Australian Open in January, ending a 44-year drought for Australian women at Melbourne Park.
The 25-year-old defeated American Danielle Collins in the final on Rod Laver Arena, sparking joyous scenes before she was presented with the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup by her idol Evonne Goolagong Cawley.
That triumph came on the back of her Wimbledon title in 2021, while Barty first joined the grand slam elite when she won the French Open in 2019.
Barty admitted she had first considered retirement after her victory in London, but instead opted to take on the challenge of ending Australia's drought at Melbourne Park.
And Australia watched on in awe as she did just that, with a peak of more than 4.3 million people watching on television as she defeated Collins in straight sets.
"Wimbledon last year changed a lot for me as a person and for me as an athlete," Barty told Dellacqua. "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, the one true dream that I wanted in tennis, that really changed my perspective. And I just had that gut feeling after Wimbledon and had spoken to my team quite a lot about it, and there was just a little part of me that wasn't quite satisfied, wasn't quite fulfilled.
"And then came the challenge of the Australian Open. And I think that for me just feels like the perfect way, 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 some other dreams that I've always wanted to do. And I've always had that healthy balance, but I'm really really excited."
Barty had previously stepped away from tennis in 2014, the Aussie taking a break and playing two seasons of the Women's Big Bash League along the way, before returning to the WTA Tour midway through 2016.
This time, however, it appears Barty has stepped away from tennis for good.
"I know I've done this before, but in a very different feeling," Barty said in reference to her two-year break from tennis. "And I'm so grateful to everything that tennis has given me, it's given me all of my dreams plus more.
"But I know that the time is right now for me to step away and chase other dreams, and to put the rackets down."