Former world No 1 confirms she will retire after Paris Olympics – ‘Wimbledon was my biggest reward’
The curtain will come down on Angelique Kerber’s “most incredible journey” at the conclusion of Paris 2024 with the three-time Grand Slam winner confirming the Olympics Games is “the finish line”.
Kerber turned professional in 2003 and just over two decades and 14 WTA Tour singles titles later, the German will bow out of the sport.
“The finish line. Before the @Olympics begin, I can already say that I will never forget #Paris2024, because it will be my last professional tournament as a tennis player,” she wrote on social media.
“And whereas this might actually be the right decision, it will never feel that way. Simply because I love the sport with all my heart and I’m thankful for the memories and opportunities it has given me.
“The Olympics, I’ve participated in so far, have been more than just competitions as they represent different chapters of my life as a tennis player: the climb, the peak… and now, the finish line.”
Kerber reached the very top of the sport as she became the world No 1 in September 2016 on the back of winning the Australian Open and US Open while she also finished runner-up Serena Williams in the Wimbledon final and won silver at the Rio Games.
After a difficult 2017 campaign that saw her slump out of the top 20, Kerber returned to form the following year as she won Wimbledon – this time getting the better of Williams in the final – and she climbed back to No 2 in the WTA Rankings.
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The German was an ever-present member of the top 20 for the next few years before announcing a break from tennis in August 2022 as she was pregnant with her first child.
She announced the birth of her daughter Liana in February 2023 and skipped the entire season before making a comeback at the beginning of 2024.
Kerber played only a handful of tournaments this campaign before announcing she will retire after the Paris Olympics at Roland Garros.
She continued: “The Olympics in #London2012 came at a time, when I had my breakthrough season on the tour. I was climbing the rankings steadily and every win helped me overcome my doubts & strengthened my self-belief. It all felt like new beginnings and I was carried by excitement to new heights. The year before, in 2011, I had almost turned my back on tennis and given up on my childhood dreams.
“When I arrived at the Olympics in #Rio2016 , I had just won my first Grand Slam title in Australia at the beginning of the year. My silver medal run was embedded in a rush of emotions that led to my second Grand Slam title in New York and the top of the rankings. The descent in the following year was hurtful, but I learned my lesson and Wimbledon 2018 was my biggest reward.
“And now: #Paris2024 will mark the finish line of the most incredible journey I could have ever dreamed of growing up with a racket in my hand. There are many more things I want to say and people to thank, which I will do once I completed my last match…but for now, I will take the time and soak up every second of this final episode on court. Thank you all for your support – it means the world to me ❤️❤️ #TeamAngie”
