After Australian Open, Stosur will retire

 

Veteran Sam Stosur said Sunday the Australian Open would be her last, ending a 23-year career in which she won the singles Grand Slam title and seven other doubles championships.

 

 

The 38-year-old Australia’s most significant moment was her singles win over Serena Williams at the 2011 US Open, which she described as the “peak” of her career.

 

 

This week will be her 21st Australian Open.

 

 

“It was certainly a dream of mine to achieve that, and I did it,” she told reporters of her win at Flushing Meadows. “That moment I will never forget.

 

 

“I’m so blessed that I have so many great memories, yes, from the sport, winning, losing, traveling, on and off the field,” she added at Melbourne Park, where she will meet France’s Alize Cornet. Play doubles together.

 

 

After creating her Grand Slam debut at the 2002 Australian Open, Stosur is ranked No. 4 in the world in singles and No. 1 in doubles, a career-high.

 

 

She has won four Grand Slam women’s doubles titles, most recently at the 2021 US Open with China’s Zhang Shuai and three mixed doubles titles.

 

 

“I didn’t know what I could do,” she said, reflecting on her professional debut more than two decades ago.

 

 

“I dreamed about what I wanted to do, achieved it, and a lot more than I ever imagined. So I can walk away very proud.”