By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Friday July 16, 2021
Timea Bacsinszky, an inspirational figure who climbed into the top-10 after temporarily leaving the sport, has called it a career.
Photo Source: AP
Timea Bacsinszky, former World No.9 an two-time Roland Garros semifinalist, who enjoyed the best moments of her tennis career after leaving the sport for a spell, has announced her retirement at the age of 32.
“Dear Professional Tennis,” Bacsinszky posted on Instagram. “As a little girl, I could never have imagined accomplishing so many beautiful things through you, experiencing so many emotions, learning so much, especially about myself, but about the world as well.
"You have been the most beautiful school of life and I cannot thank you enough for that… 18 beautiful years during which I dedicated myself to you. Now it's time for me to turn the page, and write new ones, which I hope will be as intense. … Thank you for the hard times, the smiles, the tears, the doubts but above all the teachings that you were able to transmit to me. I am very proud of all that I have been able to accomplish with you.”
Bacsinszky had previously stepped away from tennis to seek a career in hotel management, but she returned to the sport with renewed vigor when she learned that he ranking was still good enough to get her into Roland Garros qualifying, after several injury-marred seasons, in 2013.
She would gradually retrace her steps to the Top-100 and experience groundbreaking achievements from 2015 to 2017, when she reached two Roland Garros semifinals and another quarterfinal in Paris plus a trip to the last eight at Wimbledon. Bacsinszky leaves the sport with 43 Grand Slam main draw wins, 28 of which came between 2015 and 2017.
Bacsinszky finishes her career with four WTA titles and 422 professional wins.
“Thank you also to all the people who have been part of my trip all these years,” she wrote, “from near or far, starting with my Mom, my Family and my Friends, Alex, Erfan, Dim, Beni, Vincent, Andreas, all my medical team, as well as Swiss Tennis, Swiss Olympic, my FED CUP Team 🇨🇭, WTA, my partners and sponsors, my clubs and of course all the people who have supported and encouraged me here and all over the world with so much affection and love! Without you I would never have believed in my dreams and constantly pushed my own limits. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”