Tennis followers will get one ultimate likelihood to farewell Sam Stosur at Melbourne Park after the 38-year-old introduced she is going to retire after this month’s Australian Open.
Stosur will compete within the girls’s doubles competitors alongside France’s Alize Cornet and fellow Australian Matt Ebden within the blended doubles competitors. She retired from singles final yr on the Australian Open however continued to play doubles all year long.
Stosur took to Instagram on Saturday night time to share the news, writing that it was “mixed emotions” as she ends her profession in entrance of her Australian followers and at her “favourite slam”.
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“I’m so excited to be back at Melbourne Park playing in my 21st Australian Open, but it’s with mixed feelings that I also share with you that this will be my last tournament,” Stosur wrote.
“I feel so happy and grateful to have the opportunity to finish playing at my favourite slam – my home slam – in front of my Aussie fans, friends and family.
“Even though I’ve made the decision to retire from the sport I absolutely love, a small part of me would be happy to keep playing forever.
“I want to say a huge thank you to my incredible parents Dianne and Tony, my brothers Dominic and Daniel, my partner Liz and daughter Evie, and all the coaches, physios, trainers, doctors, and all my sponsors over the years. There are many others who have helped and supported me behind the scenes and around the world. You know who you are, I hope you know I couldn’t have done it without you, and I will thank you all in person.
“For now, I’m looking forward to getting on the court one last time in front of my amazing fans, who are the reason I go out there and play the sport I love, and enjoying this wonderful ride one last time.”
It brings an finish to what has been an completed profession for Stosur, who was ranked as excessive as world No.4 in singles and world No.1 in doubles.
She opened up on her causes for calling it quits in an interview on Sunday, describing the way it’s been tough for her to tug the pin on her tennis profession.
“It’s been very, very hard. I think when you do something for this long and something for this long and something you absolutely love, it is hard to step away no matter,” Stosur advised Channel 9.
“But I do feel like the time is right. I’ve been doing this for a long time.
“There’s a few aches and pains. There’s a few days that you are like ‘do I want to pack my bags again and get on another plane’ and all of that,” Stosur continued.
“I still love going to tennis. I still love practising. I’m sure I’ll be back down at the NTC in a month’s time having a hit with one of the girls. It feels right. It’s been a great journey. I couldn’t have asked for anything more.
“I’m looking forward to spending more time with my friends and being able to see my family more. All the things that you can’t do when you’re on the road.”
The Australian’s crowning second got here on the 2011 US Open ultimate when she defeated Serena Williams to assert what can be one in all eight Grand Slam titles.
“I guess the U.S. Open final, the way I played and everything, is the absolute pinnacle of where you want to get to,” Stosur mentioned again in 2012.
Originally printed as ‘Mixed emotions’ as Australian tennis legend Sam Stosur broadcasts retirement
