Angelique Kerber to retire after Paris 2024 Olympics
The three-time Grand Slam champion announced her plans on social media ahead of the Olympic draw on Thursday.
Angelique Kerber has announced that the Paris 2024 Olympic Games will be her last professional tennis competition.
The three-time Grand Slam champion and Olympic silver medallist confirmed her retirement via her social media on Thursday, just an hour before the draw for the Paris Games was made. Her first round tie was then confirmed as a blockbuster, against four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka.
"The finish line. Before the @Olympics begin, I can already say that I will never forget #Paris2024, because it will be my last professional tournament as a tennis player. And whereas this might actually be the right decision, it will never feel that way. Simply because I love the sport with all my heart and I’m thankful for the memories and opportunities it has given me," wrote Kerber on Instagram.
Paris 2024 will mark the finish line of the most incredible journey I could have ever dreamed of growing up with a racket in my hand. There are many more things I want to say and people to thank, which I will do once I completed my last match…but for now, I will take the time and soak up every second of this final episode on court. Thank you all for your support - it means the world to me ❤️🙏🏼❤️
Kerber is one of Germany’s most successful female players of all time, having won the Australian and US Opens in 2016, followed by Wimbledon in 2018. She also became an Olympic medallist in 2016, winning the women’s singles silver in Rio, to end the year as world number one.
The 36-year-old turned professional in 2003 and racked up 14 career WTA titles, most recently at Strasbourg in 2022. She stepped back from tennis after Wimbledon that same year after announcing her pregnancy and gave birth to her first daughter in February 2023.
In an interview with Vogue Germany published this week, Kerber admitted juggling motherhood and a sporting career requires not just a lot of organisation, but also courage, something she hoped her generation’s experience can help improve for younger players coming through.
"We are a generation in which more and more mothers are returning to competitive sport. I also think that's extremely important. That you still have a job for yourself,” she told the magazine.
“Of course, children always come first, but ultimately, if you are happy with yourself and do what you love - be it a job or a hobby - then you can give much more back to your child and the other people around you.”