Caroline Garcia says she will retire from tennis and will play at the final French Open
Paris – Former U.S. Open player Caroline Garcia was ranked fourth and said she will retire from tennis.
The French woman said on social media that when she was preparing for her 14th consecutive appearance, she said, “It’s time to say goodbye.”
“After 15 years of competition at the highest level, and nearly every second of the sport for over 25 years, I’m ready to go on the page and open a new chapter,” Garcia said. “That is, it’s not over yet. I still have some competitions to play. The first one at home, at Roland-Garros.”
Garcia won 11 titles but is now ranked 145th and will face Bernarda Pera in the first round.
The 31-year-old Garcia first entered fourth place in September 2018. After years of inconsistency with questions and injuries, Garcia took a break from tennis in March 2022 to care for injured feet. The suspension brought dividends as she enjoyed multiple championships in the second half of that season, including in the WTA finals, where she played the semi-finals at the U.S. Open.
Two years ago, she revealed in an interview with the L’Equipe newspaper that she had to deal with the mantra of bulimia, which was caused by the decline and pain that affected her daily life.
“My journey wasn’t always easy,” Garcia said Friday. “Tennis has been a lot more than victory and failure since the beginning. It’s love and hate. Joy or frustration. Still, I’m deeply grateful for everything this adventure brings to me. Because it’s all given me. It’s all going to help me for a strong, passionate and strong woman. But now, my body is. My body is my personal aspiration.
Several French players paid tribute to Garcia.
Varvara Gracheva said: “Her career has been a great one.
Léolia Jeanjean ranked 103rd, and he said Garcia had a lasting impact.
“She will leave a big mark on women’s tennis,” Jeanne said. “She won the Masters, doubles from Roland-Garros, and she made the top five. Many French female tennis players dream of having such a career.”
