Australia's most talented young female tennis player, Ashleigh Barty, will take an indefinite break from the game. The 2011 junior Wimbledon champion confirmed her open-ended hiatus via a statement on Friday that offered no hint of when - or if - the Queenslander would return.

Barty, 18, has been on tour since the age of 13, won the girls' title at the All England Club as a 15-year-old, and reached three senior grand slam doubles finals last year with close friend Casey Dellacqua. Former tennis and golf pro Scott Draper once described the gifted 166-centimetre Barty as having similar court craft to five-time grand slam champion Martina Hingis, but a potentially more powerful game, while John Fitzgerald nominated the then-14-year-old as Australia's best women's prospect in 20 years.

Ashleigh Barty with doubles partner Casey Dellacqua during the final of the Aegon Classic at Edgbaston Priory Club in Birmingham on June 15. Credit:Getty Images)

But, despite some bright moments, her progress has tapered in recent times, with a ranking that peaked at 129th in singles - and 12th in doubles - 12 months ago, having dipped to 217th. Barty has won two matches in nine grand slam main draw appearances since her 2012 debut.

The diminutive all-court player qualified for last month's US Open, having been overlooked for Tennis Australia's reciprocal wildcard, but lost to 30th seed Barbora Zahlavova Strycova in the opening round. She has not played since and, for the time being, has no plans to play again. The keen fisherwoman and Richmond supporter is a modest, thoughtful teenager who has never enjoyed the spotlight, and now will retreat to the family home in Springfield, near Ipswich.