Angelique Kerber caught the tennis world by surprise as she announced her retirement a week ago. The German disclosed that the 2024 Olympics would be the last tournament that she would participate in before hanging up her boots for good.
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For obvious reasons, tennis enthusiasts hoped for Kerber to finish on a high note, winning a medal. While she did seem to be in great form through the first three rounds of the singles event, her journey was eventually put to an end by Qinwen Zheng.
As a result of her loss against the Chinese star, Kerber is now officially retired from professional tennis. A day after her retirement, the Bremen native received a lot of love for a successful career.
Among the many well-wishers was Chris Evert, putting out a heartfelt message to her. The 18-time Grand Slam champion congratulated the German for a decorated 19-year career.
I will miss her. She was a class act, respectful and gracious to everyone in the tennis world. I loved her game and fight as well…Come back and visit us! ❤️ https://t.co/6h6AAQcVVQ
— Chris Evert (@ChrissieEvert) August 1, 2024
Several supporters chimed in and used Evert’s post to express their admiration for the German legend.
What a truly great endorsement from another absolute legend.@AngeliqueKerber you will be missed for your tenacity, grace and style. I was lucky enough to see you win the #USOpen, a silver medal at #Rio2016 and your last match. Thank you for the joy you brought to the game.
— Martin Haigh (@smartmarty) August 1, 2024
Angelique, you are an awesome player!!! I love your game and am going to miss your high energy on the court. Thank you, and God bless you.
— Elaine Jimeson (@ElaineJimeson) August 1, 2024
Such an endorsement for how you compete almost mattering more than what you win. You get to be a long time retired and people remember character as much as stats.
— GoonerRobot (@annerobotham) August 1, 2024
Angie, you are an amazing tennis player!! You will be missed by everyone. Enjoy your retirement❤️
— yosiko dais (@DaisYosiko) August 1, 2024
Kerber might not be among the most accomplished players of her generation, but she will always be recognized as one of the greats for her on-court demeanor and likeable personality.
Kerber retires with a respectable resume
Kerber was among the many incredible WTA stars to be active on the tour at the same time as the likes of Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Caroline Wozniacki and Victoria Azarenka. Despite the immense competition, Kerber managed to be successful.
Kerber won the Australian Open 2016, the US Open 2016, and Wimbledon 2018. She also witnessed success when representing Germany, winning a silver medal at the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
Also, winning 11 other WTA titles and being the World No.1 for 34 weeks played a huge role in her accumulating $32.5 million in career earnings.
