AMSTERDAM: Former World No.4 Kiki Bertens has announced that she will retire from professional tennis at the end of the 2021 season.
"I want to share with all of you that I have decided this year will be the last season of my tennis career," Bertens said on Instagram. "I have always demanded the maximum of myself, but the tank is quite empty. The balance of the hard work I put in day in and day out and the satisfaction I get out of it at the end of the day is no longer there."
Kiki Bertens underwent Achilles surgery last October. The 29-year-old said she plans to play Eastbourne, Wimbledon, and the Olympics in Tokyo before deciding if she will play in any other event later in the year.
"I'm really happy that I can end it this way," said Bertens, who is currently ranked No. 20. "That I can hopefully end it in the right way with some nice results, but I'm proud of the career that I had."
Bertens' best showing in a Grand Slam event came in 2016 when she reached the semi-finals of the French Open before losing to Serena Williams. She also reached the Wimbledon quarter-final in 2018 and has won 10 singles and 10 doubles titles in her career.
"For me, if Covid didn't come maybe I could continue for two to three more years, I have no idea. But when you're in the rhythm of doing something, it's easy for me and I can just keep on going, no matter how long," she said.
"But then, Covid came and everything changed. With the unknown, it was tough to go out there and practice every day," she added.
In 2021, Bertens didn't play the Australian Open. At the French Open, seeded 16th, she lost in the first round to Polona Hercog.