Maria Sharapova has announced that she is retiring from tennis with immediate effect. WTA Tennis reports.
The 32-year-old Russian enjoyed a glittering career that saw her complete a career Grand Slam, win 36 WTA titles, and spend 21 weeks as WTA World No.1.
After a succession of shoulder injuries, which saw her undergo multiple surgeries, the latest of which was in 2019, she has announced her intention to quit the sport in a heartfelt essay for Vogue and Vanity Fair that outlines her love of the game as well as the toll successive shoulder problems have had on her ability to compete at the top.
“Tennis—I’m saying goodbye,” she wrote.
“In giving my life to tennis, tennis gave me a life. I’ll miss it everyday. I’ll miss the training and my daily routine: waking up at dawn, lacing my left shoe before my right, and closing the court’s gate before I hit my first ball of the day. I’ll miss my team, my coaches. I’ll miss the moments sitting with my father on the practice court bench. The handshakes—win or lose—and the athletes, whether they knew it or not, who pushed me to be my best.
“Looking back now, I realize that tennis has been my mountain. My path has been filled with valleys and detours, but the views from its peak were incredible. After 28 years and five Grand Slam titles, though, I’m ready to scale another mountain—to compete on a different type of terrain.”
Sharapova has not revealed her immediate plans.
