Doubles specialist Barbora Strycova bids adieu to tennis at 35
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Czech doubles specialist and former World No.1 Barbora Strycova took to social media to announce her retirement from the sport at the age of 35. In March, she announced that she is pregnant and is now looking forward to ‘next life role as a mom’.
Strycova is set to finish her career having reached a career-high No.16 in singles, winning two WTA singles titles and 31 doubles titles. Her greatest triumph came just two years ago at 2019 Wimbledon, where she advanced to her first major singles semifinal, won the doubles title with Hsieh Su-Wei, and became No.1 in doubles for the first time in her career.
“Dear fans…or I should say friends, As you might have heard, I announced my retirement from professional tennis today. It feels weird. Until now, tennis was the only world I knew. I have always had enormous love for this amazing sport. Even though all the pain, tears, renunciation and sweat, all the great moment and victories were worth it!,” Strycova wrote.
‘Tennis has been one of the most important things, and I will absolutely miss it’: Barbora Strycova
While her focus will be on family, Strycova hopes to stay involved in tennis in the future. She had earlier said that this would be a tough decision because tennis is the most important thing in her life.
She said: “When I think about stopping my career, I would stop everything: doubles and singles. Of course, it’s a hard decision, because it’s something that has been with me all my life. Tennis has been one of the most important things, and I will absolutely miss it.”
She continued in her letter: “I never planned to end my career during a pandemic. However, some moments in life just can’t be planned and I am super excited for my next life role as a mom. It doesn’t mean I will accept that fact that I didn’t play my last match in front of an audience.”
“Once it’s possible, I will play one last match…in front of you. To say a proper goodbye.” Strycova will hope to play in Wimbledon 2022 for the last time.
Also read: WATCH: Dominic Thiem hilariously calls Rafael Nadal a “Decent player”
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Lakshya Chopra
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