A former Wimbledon champion has just announced that she will retire from tennis this year.
It’s never nice to see a star of the sport hang up the racket, particularly ones who have written themselves into the history books with a Grand Slam title.
However, many would argue that the pinnacle of the sport comes with success at Wimbledon, the very title that many young players dream of winning.
Seeing the likes of Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal and more retire in recent years has seen the old guard slowly stepping down, and now one star from the women’s side is set to follow suit this year: Petra Kvitova.
Petra Kvitova announces her retirement from tennis
Taking to Instagram, the 2011 and 2014 Wimbledon champion has penned an emotional message which briefly explains the reasoning behind this momentous decision.
It is never a move made lightly, and given her remarkable career, it is one that will surely upset the community.
Kvitova wrote: ‘While no such decision is ever easy to make, for me this is a happy moment! I will leave the sport with the biggest smile on my face – the same smile you’ve seen from me on and off court throughout my whole career.’
She also reached the French Open final in 2019, won the end-of-year finals in 2011 and even claimed the bronze medal in 2016.
It’s a sad day for tennis, and comes amidst increasing claims that Novak Djokovic may soon retire from tennis too.
How good was Petra Kvitova’s career?
The Czechia superstar started her career in 2006 and has been ever-present on the tour for over two decades now.
During this period, she has enjoyed great success, winning 31 career titles including those two illustrious Wimbledon titles.
Currently ranked 607th in the world, it has been tough for the 35-year-old, who has routinely been struck down with injuries for the last few years.
But at her peak, she was remarkable.
Kvitova held the world number two spot in 2011, the highest she reached, and regularly enjoyed deep runs in the game’s most elite events.
She will be sadly missed, but fortunately, there’s still the rest of 2025 before the book officially closes on her career.
