After retiring from professional tennis, former world No.1 Ashleigh Barty is set to open a new chapter in her life with the release of a series of children’s books later this year. The Australian, who decided to call time on her tennis career at the age of 25 last month, told NewsCorp that she will release a six-book Little Ash series, with many stories based on her real-life experiences on and off the tennis court.

The series, written and illustrated with First Nations creatives Jasmin McGaughey and Jade Goodwin, will be available for purchase in July. The book will be published by HarperCollins.

“This project has been so much fun and something I have always wanted to do,” Barty said on Sunday.

“Lucy was my North Star,” Barty said, referring to her five-year-old niece. “She is the perfect age to understand stories and storylines and read chapter books.

“I just love the fact she tells me what she thinks and what she feels and how she feels when she is reading a book.

“Being able to read it to her will be great and to go up to readings to kids in rural areas is something I want to be really hands-on with.” A second book project, a memoir of Barty’s life and sporting journey, will be released by the same publisher in November.

“At 25 it’s not super-regular that something like this happens but it is a very exciting project,” Barty said.

“Looking back and talking about it has brought me so much joy and heartache and pain but I think it will be a very good read.”

The three-time grand slam champion said she had no regrets about her decision to retire.