Victim of a back problem which prevents her from being able to properly defend her chances as well as to train properly, Anett Kontaveit (27), still world number 2 a year ago, announced on Tuesday on social networks that she would retire after the next Wimbledon. Very prematurely, like Ashleigh Barty before her. Except that the Estonian has no other choice.
After Ashleigh Barty, who had decided very prematurely (Editor’s note: The Australian was only 25 years old) not to pursue her career more than a year and a half ago when she was in first place in the world, for lack of motivation and eager to discover other things, the WTA circuit is about to lose another of its most famous representatives.
Anett Kontaveit, not much older than Barty (Editor’s note: She is now 27), will indeed also retire. Unfortunately for the Estonian who still held second place in the standings a year ago – she has never done better – unlike her ex-rival on the courts, she did not choose to retire. as fast. It is indeed a back injury that forces him not to pursue his career. Kontaveit, who reached the quarter-finals of the Australian Open in 2020 (her best result at a Major) and played in the Masters final a year later, announced on social media on Tuesday that she would take her retirement in a few weeks, after the next Wimbledon (July 3 to 16).
“Give everything to Wimbledon before taking on new challenges”
“Today, I am announcing that I am ending my athletic career. After several doctor visits and consultations with my medical team, I was informed that I had lumbar disc degeneration in my back. This does not allow for large-scale training or continued competition. Consequently, it is impossible to continue at the next level in such a highly competitive field”, revealed the player who has fallen back to 78th place in the world but from whom we can never take away her six titles, won at S’Hertogenbosch, Cluj, Moscow, Ostrava, Cleveland and St. Petersburg, his latest, last season. The Estonian also assures that she will do everything to offer herself the most beautiful farewell possible. “For my last effort as a professional tennis player, I will make the most of it and give it my all”. It will then be time to turn, admittedly constrained and forced, a very beautiful page, to “take up new challenges”. A real thunderclap.
