The defending Wimbledon and Australian Open champion Ash Barty announced her retirement from professional tennis at the age of 25 yesterday.

Barty, who is also the World No. 1 in the WTA rankings, is convinced that her retirement comes at “the right time.”

“The time is right now for me to step away and chase other dreams and to put the racquets down,” Barty said in a video with her former doubles partner Casey Dellacqua. “I wasn’t quite sure of how I was gonna do this. It’s hard to say. I am so happy and I’m so ready. I just know at the moment in my heart for me as a person this is right.”

Barty, who also won the 2019 French Open, continued her statement by thanking her fans, family, and loved ones.

“I kind of wasn’t sure how I was going to do this,” she said. “But I think so many times in my life, both my professional and personal, you’ve been there for me. I just couldn’t think there’s no right way, there’s no wrong way, it’s just my way.”

“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,” she continued. “That’s the first time I’ve actually said it out loud. 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.”

Barty has been the World No. 1 for three consecutive years. She is only the second Australian to reach the top spot in the WTA Rankings following Evonne Goolagong Cawley’s path.

Ash Barty finishes her career with 15 singles titles, 12 doubles titles, a career singles record of 305-102, and over $23 million in career earnings.