Doubles fame Sam Stosur to bow out in front of home fans at the 2023 Australian Open

Australian tennis legend Sam Stosur decide to retire after the 2023 Australian Open doubles and mixed doubles events.

Doubles fame Sam Stosur to bow out in front of home fans at the 2023 Australian Open

Sam Stosur (Image Credit: WTA Tour)

Australian tennis legend Samantha (Sam) Stosur has announced to bring down the curtains on her long and storied career after playing in doubles and mixed doubles events at the Australian Open 2023. This will be for the 21st time she will be participating in this tournament.

Although, she has never made it beyond the fourth round of this Grand Slam in the singles event in her career, however, she did win the mixed doubles title here with compatriot Scott Draper in 2005 and doubles title with Zhang Shuai in 2019. This year she will be participating in the first Grand Slam of the season with Alize Cornet in ladies doubles and with compatriot Matthew Ebden in mixed doubles events. She retired from singles in 2022 after playing in the 2022 Internationaux de Strasbourg tournament.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSZGpZm3sJs

“It was always going to be a hard decision whenever it did come to this point. Like I said last year when I stopped playing singles, I always wanted to finish here in Australia. Last year I wasn’t ready to finish everything. It just felt right to call it a day here, my home Grand Slam where obviously I have huge support and friends and family, lots of people here. It’s certainly been a tough decision, but I think it was the right one,” Stosur told media.

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She also took to social media to announce her retirement decision and share her feelings.

Sam Stosur will start her doubles campaign at the Australian Open with Alize Cornet against the pair of Chan Hao-Ching and Yang Zhaoxuan.

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Legacy of Sam Stosur

Sam Stosur with US Open 2011 trophy (Image Credit: USOpen.org)

Sam Stosur is one of the most prolific Australian tennis players. She rose to World No.4 in the WTA singles rankings in 2011. She also won the 2011 US Open singles title by defeating Serena Williams in the final.

However, she has always been known as a great doubles tennis player. She won the 2005 and 2006 WTA Championships (now WTA Finals) doubles events with American Lisa Raymond. The Australian also won four Grand Slam doubles titles and three Grand Slam mixed doubles titles in her career.

A brilliant team player, she has been part of the Australian team for the Fed Cup (now Billie Jean King Cup), and Hopman Cup multiple times and also the 2023 United Cup. Evaluating the way her career progressed until now, she got emotional at the occasion.

“I didn’t know what I could do. I dreamt what I would like to do. I certainly achieved that and more. One thing I’m very proud of is the fact that I know I did everything possible to do what I did. I think I’m happy with the way I’ve carried myself on court. It’s always been important to me to be how I was, compete hard.

“If you get beat, you get beat. Shake hands and try harder the next day. Every win or loss got me to where I was. I certainly achieved way more than what I could have ever imagined. So I can walk away being very proud,” she added further..

After the retirement of Ash Barty, last year and Sam Stosur this year, a new vacuum will develop in Australian tennis. It is hoped that younger generation Australian tennis players will be able to live up to the challenge and take Australian tennis forward.

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