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Former World No. 2 from Poland cites health reasons for her decision
Tribune News Network
Doha
One of the grittiest tennis players on women's Tour, and a former World No.2 Agnieszka Radwanska will not be seen in professional tournaments anymore as the 29-year-old has chosen to call it quits.
The short-statured player from Poland announced her decision to end her 13 year-long career due to health reasons on Wednesday through a post on her Facebook account.
A runner-up to Serena Williams in 2012, Radwanska won 20 WTA titles in her 13-year career. She finished every season between 2008 and 2016 ranked inside the world's top 15, but was currently ranked 75th and has not won a title since October 2016.
She was the first Polish player to reach a Grand Slam singles final in the Open Era, when she finished runner-up to Serena at Wimbledon in 2012.
She was also one of the most consistent players on tour, finishing in top 10 rankings for six straight seasons between 2011-2016.
However, she had been struggling for form and fitness and could not win any title since October 2016.
"Unfortunately I am no longer able to train and play the way I used to, and recently my body can't live up to my expectations," Radwanska, 29, said in a post on Facebook.
"Taking into consideration my health and the heavy burdens of professional tennis, I have to concede that I'm not able to push my body to the limits required."
In addition to her Wimbledon final appearance, Radwanska reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open twice, and won the season-ending WTA Finals in 2015.
"I'm hanging the racquet up and say goodbye to the pro tour, but I'm not leaving tennis," she added.
"Tennis is and always has been special in my life. But now it's time for new challenges, new ideas, equally as exciting as those on the tennis court, I hope."
Earlier this February, Radwanska had made her familiar Qatar Total Open appearance in the 2018 edition but her flight was cut short by the tall Czech player Petra Kvitova who came from a set down to signal the end of the Pole in the Round of 32 in an absorbing match.
Kvitova, who was returning after a surgery following a knife attack from an intruder back home, went on to win the title in Doha.
Then, it didn't seem that Radwanska, who's best finish in Doha was in 2008 when she lost in the semis to eventual champion Maria Sharapova, wouldn't be back for another round of her desert swing in Qatar.
