Anett Kontaveit is forced to retire from tennis at the age of 27 after sustaining a chronic back injury. Next Wimbledon will be her final tournament.
A year ago, Kontaveit was ranked 2nd on the WTA Tour. But sadly, we will never know if she would reached that number 1 spot. Kontaveit has only played 11 matches since October 2022.
Kontaveit announces retirement on Instagram
She announced her retirement on Instagram on which she wrote the following:
Today I am announcing that I am ending my career as a competitive athlete. After several doctor’s visits and consultations with my medical team, I have been advised that I have lumbar disc degeneration in my back.
This does not allow for full-scale training or continued competition. Therefore, it is impossible to continue at the top level in such a highly competitive field.
Tennis has given and taught me a lot, and I am very grateful for that. It has been important for me to bring the Estonian flag to the tennis courts and to be able to play in front of my supporters and fans all over the world.
I am ready for new challenges after my last effort as a professional tennis player – to enjoy the game and compete as hard as I can at Wimbledon.
Thank you everyone for your continuous support x
Anett
Kontaveit has had a successful career
Kontaveit reached 17 WTA finals and won 6 of them. She won her first title in Rosmalen in 2017. Her best Grand Slam tournament was the Australian Open in 2020 when she reached the quarter-finals.
Kontaveit is currently number 79 on the WTA Tour rankings and thus won’t have to play the qualifier matches. Wimbledon starts on July 3rd, 2023.
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