The Estonian will also compete in mixed doubles alongside Finn Emil Ruusuvuori. However, she apparently said goodbye to singles on Wimbledon court number 18 for good.
“It was unbelievable how many people came to cheer me on. There is a lot of emotion in it, sadness, but also happiness. Of course, the match did not develop as I would have liked, but I was still happy that I could play in front of so many fans,” said the winner of six WTA singles tournaments.
Naturally, the native of Tallinn had her closest relatives in the audience, who also couldn’t resist their emotions. Competitors and colleagues from the circuit also expressed strong support for the retiring star.
Before Anett Kontaveit leaves the court, she turns around & waves to the crowd one last time.
Her mother is in tears as her daughter’s career comes to an end.
The girl with the golden smile.
A career & person worth remembering. ???? pic.twitter.com/Hd9QNwkcBx
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) July 6, 2023
“Anett, congratulations on your incredible career. We will miss you, we all wish you would come back,” wrote her last rival Bouzková. Others joined, including world number one Iga Šwiateková.
Some players even persuaded her to reconsider her decision. “It’s nice of them to try to persuade me. A lot of people have tried it. But I am not able to play the whole match without pain. Of course, I considered this decision for a long time. And when I decide on something so important, I rarely doubt it,” explained Kontaveitová, who has been suffering from back problems for a long time.
Nevertheless, you could tell immediately after the match and at the subsequent press conference that her emotions were working and she couldn’t hold back tears in front of the pointed cameras.
“It breaks my heart that he is ending so soon for his age. But I am sure that Anett will be a happy person in her next life. He has a lot of interests, is an interesting personality and will definitely find his place. I’m sure of that,” said one of her friends on the circuit, Russian Darya Kasatkinová.
Kontaveit said that after the end of her career, she would like to devote herself mainly to completing her studies in psychology, which she is completing at the University of Indiana.
