Milos Raonic Announces Retirement from Tennis
By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, January 12, 2026
Photo credit: National Bank Open Facebook
Milos Raonic, one of the brightest lights in Canadian tennis history, has closed the curtain on his glorious career.
Former world No. 3 Raonic announced his official retirement on social media.
The time has come, I am retiring from tennis. This is a moment you know will come one day, but somehow you never feel ready for it. This is as ready as I will ever be. Tennis has been my love and obsession for most of my life.
— Milos Raonic (@milosraonic) January 11, 2026
I have been the luckiest person to get to live out…
“The time has come, I am retiring from tennis,” Raonic wrote on X. “This is a moment you know will come one day, but somehow you never feel ready for it. This is as ready as I will ever be.
“Tennis has been my love and obsession for most of my life. I have been the luckiest person to get to live out and fulfill my dreams. I got to show up every day and focus on just getting better, seeing where that will take me, and playing a game I was introduced to at 8 years old by complete luck.
“Somehow, this became my entire obsession and childhood, and then became my profession and life.”
In a classy farewell post, Raonic took time to thank fans, fellow players and the game’s governing bodies for contributing to his career.
“I am thankful for the incredible fans I got to compete and practice in front of all over the world. They got to see me shining at my brightest and managing the hardest of moments on the court,” Raonic wrote. “They got to see me grow up.
“Thank you to each and every one who stopped, even for a moment, to watch and support me. Thank you to my coaches and team, who took time away from their families and homes to be on the road with me as I pursue my dream and goals. I am grateful for your guidance and teachings.
“Thank you to the ATP tour, the ITF, and all the Grand Slams. I dreamt of playing at your great tournaments, and I got to have those amazing experiences surrounded by great people, trying their best for the beautiful game of tennis.”
The 35-year-old Raonic, who was born in Podgorica, Montenegro and moved to Canada at age 3, grew up devoted to tennis after his parents introduced him to the sport. Raonic recalls waking up for early morning practice sessions to practice his serve over and over.
The boy who grew up idolizing Pete Sampras grew into one of the game’s most fearsome servers. Raonic captured eight career singles titles, earned $20 Million in prize money and contested 10 Grand Slam quarterfinals and three Grand Slam semifinals.
In one of the most riveting performances of his career, Raonic out-dueled Roger Federer in five sets to become the first Canadian Grand Slam men’s singles finalist at the 2016 Wimbledon where he lost to Andy Murray in straight sets. Raonic would go on to reach the Cincinnati semifinals, Rolex Paris Masters semifinals and ATP Finals semifinals, bowing to Murray in two of those three tournaments.
In addition to his rocket serve, Raonic, one of the most dominant servers in Open Era history, was a stalwart for the Canadian Davis Cup squad. Raonic posted a 19-6 Davis Cup record overall, including a 17-5 mark in singles.
Though Raonic was not a member of the Canadian squad that captured the nation’s maiden Davis Cup championship in 2022, he took great pride in contributing to the rise of Canadian tennis that saw the nation also capture its first Billie Jean King Cup championship in 2023.
“It’s been a lot of pride and a lot of great feelings coming from it, just because, yeah, I remember from the first time that I was there as a hitting partner alongside the team in Calgary, I believe it was against Colombia back then,” Raonic said after Canada’s championship run. “I think we were playing to stay in Group I back then, America’s Group I or whatever the structure is. Then in 2011 we had the chance to get into the World Group after first time in a long time.
“You know, there has been a whole lot of progress over the years with it, and we have been a staple now in the World Group stage. We have been now at the top of it. So seeing all that, being a part of all that, it’s something pretty incredible.
“I think it just speaks to a lot more because it’s not the individual achievements Canadians have also had. I think it’s significant about the process and the systems that are in place throughout the country that help Canadian tennis players that want to achieve their goals succeed.”
Raonic defeated former Davis Cup teammate Vasek Pospisil in the all-Canadian 2014 Washington, DC final. It was a historic first ATP all-Canadian final and Raonic did not drop a set en route to his sixth career title.
Raonic’s retirement comes nearly six months after compatriot and former Wimbledon finalist Genie Bouchard close the curtain on her career before home fans in Montreal.
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