Samantha Stosur, a tennis legend from Australia, will retire from competitive play at the Australian Open. The 38-year-old home favourite announced on Instagram that she will retire after competing at the first Grand Slam of the year.
For the 21st time, Stosur will visit Melbourne Park to play in the women’s and mixed doubles competitions. She played her final singles match at the competition a year ago, but she kept playing doubles all year.
“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.”
Stosur, a former No. 1 doubles player and No. 4 singles player in the world, won 37 WTA singles and doubles titles during the course of her career. She owns seven other Grand Slam titles in women’s and mixed doubles. She famously stormed to the 2011 US Open singles title, where she stunned Serena Williams in the final.
“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 know I’m going to miss playing competitive tennis, all the amazing experiences and emotions that come with being on the tour, and doing what I’ve done for nearly my whole life. There are so many stand-out matches, some against legends of the sport, that make me look back and think how grateful I am for my career.”
SHE WROTE
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Many of Stosur’s fellow Aussies, and other peers, flooded the comments of her Instagram post with well wishes.
“We’ve been so lucky to have you as an amazing role model and inspiration,”
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Stosur won the Australian Open mixed doubles championship with fellow Australian Scott Draper in 2005, as well as the 2019 women’s doubles championship with China’s Zhang Shuai, despite never making it past the fourth round in her home Grand Slam in singles.
In her final Australian Open match, Stosur will face off against Mattew Ebden and Alizé Cornet of France.
“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,” she added, “and enjoying this wonderful ride one last time.”
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