Aussie Jarmila Wolfe retires from tennis
Jarmila Wolfe's tennis career is over after a chronic back injury.
Australian Jarmila Wolfe (nee Gajdosova) has retired from professional tennis, lamenting Australian Open organisers’ decision to deny her a grand-slam swan song.
The Slovakian-born Wolfe, who achieved a career-high ranking of No.25 and reached the fourth round of both the French Open and Wimbledon in 2010, announced on Wednesday her career was over because of a chronic back injury.
The 29-year-old, who went through a public divorce to fellow tennis player Sam Groth in 2011, never fully recovered from her latest setback but was hoping to bow out at Melbourne.
Officials rejected her request for a wildcard, meaning a first-round loss to Anastasija Sevastova at the 2016 Australian Open will remain Wolfe’s final competitive match in Australia.
“I would have liked to have played one more Australian Open, with my last ever match playing in front of the Melbourne Park crowd and say goodbye properly to the Australian public,” Wolfe noted in a statement.
“But the powers that be declined my wildcard request.
“That’s how it goes and I have no regrets. I’ve loved living out my dream on the world tennis stage.
“I also acquired a new nationality and home along the way, and for that I will be forever grateful to tennis and the Australian people who embraced and supported me.”
A series of injury setbacks have resulted in Wolfe’s career stalling since the highs of 2010.
“These past 12 months have been the toughest I’ve ever had to go through and unfortunately I have been unable to recover from a back injury that my doctors have advised is now chronic,” she wrote.
“I have had to seriously think of my quality of life with my wonderful husband Adam post tennis, and that has led to this very tough decision.”
https://twitter.com/tennis_jarkag/status/819093571089272832
-AAP