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Ana Ivanovic, former World No.1 and 2008 French Open winner, retires at 29

Ana Ivanovic, former World No. 1 and 2008 French Open champion, has retired from tennis at the age of 29, the Serbian said on Facebook on Wednesday.

Updated on: Dec 29, 2016, 10:44:47 IST
By , Belgrade
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Former World No. 1 and 2008 French Open champion Ana Ivanovic has retired from tennis at the age of 29, the Serbian said on Facebook on Wednesday.

Ana Ivanovic announced her retirement from tennis at the age of 29. (HT Photo)
Ana Ivanovic announced her retirement from tennis at the age of 29. (HT Photo)

“There is no other way to say this. I have decided to retire from professional tennis. It was a difficult decision but there is so much to celebrate,” Ana Ivanovic said.

“Don’t be sad, be optimistic alongside me. My love and my greatest thank you to all of you,” said the former world number one who has dropped to 63rd in the rankings.

Before announcing her retirement, she had kept her fans guessing, asking them to tune into her Facebook account on Wednesday evening as she has to “reveal” what she describes as an “important” news.

“My dear fans & supporters. Pls tune in to my Facebook page tomorrow at 6pm UK time, where I’ll be sharing something important with you live,” Ana Ivanovic had said on her Twitter account.

It was widely expected that the 29-year-old would announce her retirement sooner rather than later.

In the past couple of years, there had been speculations that Ivanovic would bid adieu to her career as she has been failing to achieve the kind of success that led to her only Grand Slam title --- the French Open in 2008.

Ivanovic had also struggled to find form in 2016, having managed to clinch only 15 matches throughout the season. Her poor form also saw her slip to 63rd position on the WTA rankings.

Ivanovic’s season was also cut short earlier this year after she made a first-round exit at the US Open as she wanted to recover from wrist and toe injuries.

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