In June 2022, Anett Kontaveit, number two in the WTA rankings, was still chasing the place in the sun of the tennis throne, a year later the Estonian surprisingly announced that she would be giving up the racket – at the age of 27.
“Today I’m announcing that I’m ending my career as a competitive athlete,” Kontaveit addressed her fans on social media on Tuesday. In an emotional statement, she also explains what drives her to make this decision: “After several visits to the doctor and consultations with my medical team, I was informed that I have lumbar disc degeneration in my back. This does not allow full training or further competitions . It is therefore impossible to continue playing at the highest level in such a highly competitive field.”
And further: “Tennis has given and taught me a lot, and I am very grateful for that. It was important for me to carry the Estonian flag to the tennis courts and to play in front of my fans and supporters all over the world. After my last As a professional tennis player, I’m ready for new challenges – I want to enjoy the game and fight as hard as I can at Wimbledon.”
Overall, Kontaveit ranked in the top 10 for twelve weeks and won six tournaments on the WTA tour. In the Grand Slams, on the other hand, the great success did not want to come. In 2020 she reached the quarterfinals in Australia. At the French Open and the US Open it was over in the round of 16 at the latest and on the sacred lawn of Wimbledon Kontaveit reached the third round at most.
An impressive response to the announcement of the resignation followed in the tennis scene. Among others, Aryna Sabalenka, Sabine Lisicki, Ons Jabeur, the association itself and the accounts of the Grand Slams expressed their regret.