One of Estonia’s most successful tennis players in history ended her career at Wimbledon on Thursday with a heavy defeat.
Anett Kontaveit, who has been ranked as high as No.2 in the world, could only win three games during her 6-2, 6-1, defeat to Czech 32nd seed Marie Bouzková on Court 18. The loss sends her into retirement from singles at the tender age of 27 due to health reasons. Fittingly Wimbledon is the venue where she played her first main draw match in a major back in 2013 and now her last.
“There’s a lot of emotions. There’s sadness, there’s happiness, there’s a bit of everything,” she said afterwards.
“It was incredible to have so many people cheering for me.’
“Of course, the match didn’t go the way I wanted it to, but I was so happy to be able to play in front of so many people that love me and were able to see me play for the last time – in singles.”
It was only last month when Kontaveit stunned the sport by confirming that the grasscourt major would be where she would retire. Her decision to do so is due to a diagnosis of lumbar disc degeneration in her back which prevents her from training as she would like to. It was just 12 months before that announcement that she was at a career ranking-high on the Tour.
“I’m pretty firm with this decision,” she replied when asked if she would reconsider retiring.
“When I stand up for too long or sit down for too long in the same position, it (my back) starts bothering me. I hope that if I don’t give it that much exercise with tennis it will feel better in everyday life.”
During her career, Kontaveit has won six WTA titles and was runner-up at 11 other tournaments, including the 2021 WTA Finals. Overall, she has recorded more than 20 wins over top 20 opponents. In the Grand Slams, she recorded a win-loss record of 37-32 with her best run being to the quarter-final stage at the 2020 Australian Open.
As for what the future holds, Kontaveit will continue studying psychology and then ‘see what the future brings.’
