Standing on a rain-soaked tennis court, the child beams lopsidedly at the camera. In one hand, she is clutching a tiny trophy. In the other, she holds a tennis racket. It is bigger than her entire head.

Twenty years later, Ashleigh Barty is at the top of her game. The tennis star has won three Grand Slams with her signature sliced backhand. She has conquered grass, clay and hard courts and won £17.9m in prize money. This January, she became the first home-grown player in 44 years to win the Australian Open in front of a roaring crowd. 

She is the one in a million who beat the odds to pursue her childhood dreams and find fame and success in international sports. Indeed, Barty is so popular that the number of Australian children playing tennis has risen by 30% in the past year alone.

But now, aged just 25, the world number oneBarty has been the number one female player for 114 consecutive weeks.  has shocked tennis fans by putting down her racket and giving it all up for good.

"Tennis has given me all of my dreams," Barty said yesterday in a video announcing her retirement. "But I know that the time is right now for me to step down and chase other dreams." 

To some, it seems an absurd decision. Roger FedererFederer won his first major singles title at Wimbledon in 2003 aged 21.  is still winning titles aged 40, nearly 20 years after his first Grand Slam victory. Until this week, commentators were asking when - not if - Barty would win again. "That the answer is now and will forever be zero feels incomprehensible," says journalist Emma Kemp. 

Many believe Barty could have spent another decade in the sport, picking up dozens of trophies, millions in prize money and inspiring countless children along the way.

But tennis is a notoriously tough sport, points out journalist Matthew Futterman. Athletes are alone for hours on sweltering courts. For eleven months of the year, they continuously cross borders and time zones, playing one day at 11am and the next at 11pm. 

In 1981, Swedish superstar Bjorn Borg famously walked off the court, drove away and never played a Grand Slam again. He, too, was 25. More recently, Naomi OsakaThough ranked number one in the world, the Japanese player was knocked out in the third round at the Olympics. took a break after opening up about her mental health struggles.

In 2014, suffering from depression and homesickness, Barty took a break from tennis too. Incredibly, she became a professional cricketerBarty played a season of professional cricket in the Women's Big Bash League, the Australian women's Twenty20 cricket competition., playing for the first time in a team. 

When she returned to tennis, it was life coach Ben CroweThe performance coach also mentors former wheelchair tennis player Dylan Alcott, alongside professional surfers and footballers. who helped change her mindset. "Everyone on the planet is in search of two things, happiness and confidence," argues Crowe. "I try to get athletes to answer the question: 'Who am I fundamentally?' and 'What do I want from this crazy thing called life?'" 

By giving up tennis to discover what she wants from life, "Barty has reframed the definition of success" says Kemp. 

For the Australian champion, the next steps are clear: following Crowe's advice to "focus on the human being first and the human doing second". 

"Now I think it's important that I get to enjoy the next phase of my life as Ash Barty the person and not Ash Barty the athlete."

Yes: Giving up tennis to pursue fulfilment and happiness is Ashleigh Barty's most inspirational move yet. In the drive to succeed, we must not forget to find joy, meaning and purpose in life.

No: Ash Barty is at the peak of her powers. She is known worldwide for her winning personality and extraordinary play. Fame and fortune are at her fingertips. To give up now is madness.

Or... Tennis is a gruelling sport. But giving up for good is a drastic decision. Many sports stars simply take a break to recharge and then return to the game they love and enjoy. Ash Barty may do the same.