Samantha Stosur has announced that the 2023 Australian Open will be the last tournament in her professional tennis career.
The 38-year-old Stosur made a tough decision to retire after her 21st Australian Open. This fortnight in Melbourne, Stosur plays the women’s doubles alongside France’s Alize Cornet and mixed doubles alongside compatriot Matt Ebden.
The winner over Serena Williams in the 2011 US Open women’s singles final announced the news in a lengthy message on Instagram, revealing that she will definitely miss competitive tennis:
Even though I’ve made the decision to retire from the sport I absolutely love, a small part of me would be happy to keep playing forever.
Besides her Grand Slam singles title in New York, the former doubles world No.1 Stosur has won seven major titles in doubles (four in women’s doubles and three in the mixed competition). The former singles world No.4 was also a force on the Parisian clay, as she played the Roland Garros singles semifinals four times, in 2010 advancing to the championship match.
The Australian’s heart is full that she’s ending her career in front of a home crowd:
I feel so happy and grateful to have the opportunity to finish playing at my favorite slam – my home slam – in front of my Aussie fans, friends and family.
Stosur became a mom in 2020, when her partner Liz gave birth to a baby girl Evie. (photo: Jimmie48)
I always wonder why does she choked whenever she plays in Melbourne while she can reach few SFs and a final at RG and won a US Open
Ric, even Sam isn’t sure she has the right answer. Once she noted it could be the pressure of wanting to play well on home soil and the fact that the Australian Swing is at the start of the season when she’s still not properly warmed up, hasn’t had enough matches under her belt after the off-season.