Anett Kontaveit announced her retirement from professional tennis at the age of 27.
Kontaveit has competed on the WTA Tour since 2010 and reached a career-high World No. 2 position in the WTA Rankings. But then, her injury struggles started, and the Estonian went from World No. 3 to out of the Top 50 in just four months.
Despite making it to the tennis court again in 2023, especially to help her country in the Billie Jean King Cup, Kontaveit now announced that the 2023 Wimbledon Championships will be her last professional tennis tournament.
In a statement posted on social media, Kontaveit revealed that she has been battling lumbar disc degeneration, which impacts her ability to train or compete as she would like to, mostly because of the pain that comes with the condition.
"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."
Born and raised in Estonia, Kontaveit has been one of the most successful athletes to ever come from the country. She took pride in representing Estonia on the grandest stages but also knows that she, unfortunately, can't continue competing.
"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."
Kontaveit knows that there is also life after tennis, and she will want to focus on those and use all of her knowledge gained throughout her tennis career to excel in different areas of life.
"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."