Former world No. 2 Anett Kontaveit has announced that she'll retire from tennis at Wimbledon next month as a result of a chronic back injury.
The 27-year-old Estonian announced that her tennis career is ending prematurely in a social media post Tuesday, in which she further detailed the problem that's plagued her for much of the season. In March, she detailed that she'd been troubled by her back in most matches dating back to last October, and in her announcement, revealed that she's been diagnosed with "lumbar disc degeneration."
She had been limited to just 10 matches in seven events this year, and was sidelined with the injury from late February to mid-April.
"Today I am announcing that I am ending my career as a competitive athlete," she wrote in an Instagram post. "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."
A trailblazer for Baltic tennis, Kontaveit won six WTA singles titles in her career and is the highest-ranking Estonian in tennis history. She won four of those titles in a memorable stretch in 2021, when the Tallinn native notably went on a 26-2 tear across the summer and autumn to crack the Top 10 and qualify for the season-ending WTA Finals. She later finished runner-up to Garbiñe Muguruza there.
She peaked at her best-ever ranking last June.
"Tennis has given and taught me a lot, and I am very grateful for that," Kontaveit added. "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."
Kontaveit twice reached the fourth round at the US Open, as a qualifier in 2017 and in 2020, and famously, was Serena Williams' last professional victory. Last summer in Queens, the two played in a thrilling three-setter in the second round in Arthur Ashe Stadium–a match won by Williams, 7-6(4), 2-6, 6-2.
Her best-ever Grand Slam result was a quarterfinal showing at the Australian Open in 2020. As a junior, she reached the girls' singles final at the 2012 US Open.
