New Zealand-born Australian tennis player Sacha Jones has hung up her racquet, two days after a match she described as the highlight of her career.
Jones, 23, is giving up the game because of persistent injuries.
Her swansong came in her and fellow Aucklander Abigail Guthrie's 6-4 6-1 quarter-final defeat to Czech twins Karolina and Kristyna Pliskova in the ASB Classic.
In the opening round, the wildcard combination upset the second-seeded pairing of New Zealand No.1 Marina Erakovic and Zimbabwe's Cara Black 3-6 6-4 13-11 on centre court.
"I think playing with my best friend since I was five years old, on my home court with all my family and friends watching was probably the coolest experience of my career," she said.
"It was probably the highlight, actually."
Jones says the injuries she suffered, including four stress fractures to her ribs, had taken their toll on her body.
She thought about retirement after she tore a wrist muscle at last year's Australian Open, but put the decision on hold because she didn't want to have any regrets.
The final straw was another shin injury at the US Open.
Jones will begin studies at Auckland University in March with her sights set on becoming a teacher.
She ends her playing career with a singles ranking of 292, after having reached a career-high 150 in October 2012.
Two years ago, Jones, who has dual nationality, divided tennis opinion in New Zealand by switching her allegiance to Australia.
She made the move to take advantage of Tennis Australia's greater resources so her parents wouldn't have to keep making financial sacrifices.
She said she had no regrets about that decision.
"Absolutely not," she said.
"Tennis Australia was awesome to me. They gave me so many opportunities."
