Amelie Mauresmo Calls It a Day
December 7, 2009
Former world no. 1 tennis player and two-time Grand Slam champion Amelie Mauresmo has announced her retirement from tennis. Mauresmo leaves the game ranked at no. 21 and aged 30.
“I don’t want to train anymore,” Mauresmo said after shedding tears about the decision. “I had to make a decision, which became evident in the last few months and weeks. When you grew older, it’s more difficult to stay at the top.”
The Frenchwoman climbed to the top of the women’s tennis rankings on Sept. 13, 2004. She stayed there for five weeks before recapturing the top ranking on March 20, 2006. The second time around she held the top spot until Nov. 12. She held the no. 1 ranking for a total of 39 weeks during her career. She was the first person from France to hold the top spot in tennis.
Mauresmo’s first Grand Slam win came in controversial circumstances when Justine Henin defaulted the final of the Australian Open in 2006. Mauresmo was ahead 6-1, 2-0 at the time. It is interesting to note that Mauresmo also secured walkover victories in the 3rd round over Michaella Krajicek and the semis over Kim Clijsters.
After not knowing how to feel after her walkover victory at the Australian Open Mauresmo went on to claim the 2006 Wimbledon title winning 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 over Justine Henin. Many saw this win validate her as a true Grand Slam champion after the Australian Open win.
Mauresmo said there was no comeback on the cards for her. “Even if I’ve learned to never say never,” the Frenchwoman said. “The players you are thinking about stopped earlier than me before coming back.”
Former no.1′s Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin both made comebacks after retiring from the game. Clijsters of course had a mega comeback winning the US Open earlier this year.
Mauresmo says she leaves the sport of tennis with no regrets. That is what she is saying although I am sure she would have loved to have bagged a French Open trophy. The Frenchwoman was inspired to play the game after watching Yannick Noah win his French Open title at Roland Garros in 1983.
Tennis - Year in Review 2009 - Men
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