The Hong Kong player said she was hanging up her racket after 15 years playing the sport competitively. 

Her biggest achievement was the mixed gold she won alongside Lee Chun Hei at the 2014 Badminton Asia Championships in Gimcheon in South Korea.

The pair were the first from Hong Kong to strike gold at the continental event.

Other achievements for the duo included bronze at the 2017 World Championships in Glasgow, with the global medal another first for a Hong Kong mixed doubles team.

In 2015 they won the Australian Open to become the first Hong Kong pair to win a mixed Superseries title.

They enjoyed a career-high ranking of sixth in the world.

"I knew I would retire one day, and I'd planned it too, I'd talked it over with my family and coaches, but when it came to the time that I handed the form, it was quite touching," said Chau.

"Happy, sad…

"Not sad that I'm retiring, but that time flies. 

"I'm happy for my achievements. 

"Thankfully, I'm retiring without regret."

Chau moved to Canada to pursue her dreams as a professional player, a move far less common than those who head from the west to badminton's powerhouse nations in East Asia.

She believed that by doing so she would not waste family resources on travel and training.

In 2017, Chau suffered a neck injury at the Japan Open and recurrent trouble since played a part in her decision to retire.

She has now signed up as a coach at the Mandarin Badminton Club in Toronto.

"I'm very excited, and nervous as well," she said about the future.

"I haven't been with family for a long time."