Wimbledon (England): Martina Navratilova is ready to retire. Really.
Navratilova, who turns 50 in October, has announced at Wimbledon that this will be her final year of professional tennis, although she's not exactly sure where she'll play her last tournament.
"It's time. It's enough. I just want to move on to my next life. ...Most of all, it's to spend more time at home."
As of now, Navratilova plans to play doubles at hard-court tournaments in Montreal and San Diego, but she hasn't decided whether to compete at the US Open.
She spoke after reaching the doubles quarterfinals at the All England Club with Liezel Huber by beating Elena Likhovtseva and Anastasia Myskina 7-5, 6-0. Huber and Cara Black won Wimbledon last year.
Navratilova is also in Wimbledon's mixed doubles quarterfinals with Mark Knowles. "I can get sentimental when it's over," she said. "Not yet."
Navratilova originally retired in 1994, with a record 167 singles titles and having spent 331 weeks ranked No. 1.
She returned to the tour as a doubles player in 2000, and eventually couldn't resist dabbling in singles, including a first-round victory at Wimbledon in 2004.
"The decision that this is my last year, that is a definite," she said on Tuesday.
She's won 58 Grand Slam titles: 18 in singles, 31 in doubles and nine in mixed doubles. Of those, a record-tying 20 have come at Wimbledon, including nine in singles - six in a row from 1982-87 - seven in doubles and four in mixed.
"I'll miss the competition, having to perform under pressure," she said disclosing her plans to go to Wimbledon each year. "I'll be back. I just won't be playing."
Comments
0 comment