Australian tennis champ Casey Dellacqua has announced her retirement from the sport to spend more time with family.
The 33-year-old made the announcement in a video posted to her social media accounts on Tuesday.
“It’s something I’ve been thinking about for a while now,” she said.
“I definitely feel it’s the right time for me to hang up the racquets.
“It’s time for me to be a mum and it’s time for me to spend time with my family, particularly while my kids are young. It’s a precious time in life and it’s a time where I want to be at home with my family.”
Dellacqua and her partner Amanda Judd are parents to their two children Blake and Andie.
“I’ve been so fortunate to have a great career doing what I absolutely love and fulfilling my childhood dream of becoming a professional athlete,” she said.
“If there’s one thing that I’m going to miss about playing tennis, it’s playing for Australia. It was always a highlight of my career and it’s something I will always cherish.
“I love everything about tennis. I love everything it has given me, but I also can’t wait for the best of me away from the tennis court.
“I’m really excited about the next stage of my life.”
Dellacqua made her Australian Open debut at 17 in 2003, and in the years since has competed in multiple Australian Opens and two Olympic Games, achieving a career high doubles ranking of #3 in the world in 2016.
Last month, she won Sports Personality of the Year at the Australian LGBTI Awards, recognising her contribution to LGBTI visibility in Australian sport.
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