20.01.2022
3 min read

Sam Stosur retires from singles tennis after second-round Australian Open loss

‘I dreamed of winning a Grand Slam. To do what I have done, dreaming as a little kid, is phenomenal.’

Sam Stosur bids emotional farewell to Grand Slam singles career

Sam Stosur has bowed out of singles as a great of Australian tennis after her loss in the second round of her home slam.

The Queenslander, who announced this Australian Open campaign would be her last in singles, fell to world No.11 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.

Watch the emotional farewell in the video above

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But the straight-sets loss won’t overshadow what’s been a tremendous career.

Stosur finishes a US Open champion in 2011 and finalist the previous year at the Roland Garros, where she also played three semis.

She will continue playing professionally in doubles, in which she’s a four-time major winner.

“I have done more than I ever thought was possible,” she said in an on-court interview, surrounded by tearful family members and coach Rennae Stubbs.

“I dreamed of winning a Grand Slam and doing close to the things I did.

Sam Stosur bids farewell to her grand slam singles career. Credit: Getty

“To do what I have done, dreaming as a little kid, I think is phenomenal.

“I couldn’t have asked for any more. I’ve had many great moments here in Australia and around the world.

“Yeah, it’s been amazing.”

A former world No.4, Stosur received a standing ovation from the Kia Arena crowd before departing after a record 20th Open campaign, the most by any Australian women’s tennis player.

Still alive in doubles, Stosur had extended her singles retirement with a rousing first-round comeback win over American wildcard Robin Anderson on Tuesday.

But the 37-year-old was unable to repeat the heroics against last year’s French Open runner-up, Stosur’s 1063rd match over a career spanning more than two decades lasting just 68 minutes.

The top-ranked Australian singles player - male or female - for a record 441 consecutive weeks between 2008 and 2017, Stosur was a fixture in the world’s top 25 for nine consecutive years.

Alas, she was rarely able to produce her finest tennis under the intense glare and pressure, runs to the fourth round in 2006 and 2010 Stosur’s best efforts in Melbourne.

Australian Sam Stosur has retired from singles tennis. Credit: AAP

Fittingly but somewhat ironically, the last two wins of Stosur’s grand career came in front of her home fans at Melbourne Park - a year apart against fellow Australian Destanee Aiava at the 2021 Open and Anderson this week.

Often maligned for her Open flops, Stosur boasts an exceptional record on the Paris clay and Flushing Meadows hard courts.

Conquering Serena Williams, arguably the greatest player of all time in the 2011 US Open final in New York on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on America, remains Stosur’s crowning achievement.

Her love affair with the red dirt of Roland Garros, though, equally defined her largely under-appreciated career.

Samantha Stosur in action at Wimbledon. Credit: EPA

As well as reaching the 2010 title decider, having knocked out Williams, three-times champion Justin Henin and fellow former world No.1 Jelena Jankovic in an inspired run to the final, Stosur made the semi-finals in Paris on three other occasions.

She was a claycourt giant at the height of her career and never getting her hands on the Suzanne-Lenglen Cup is Stosur’s biggest lament, if not regret.

Stosur walks away as the 22nd highest earner in women’s professional tennis history after amassing $27,490,735 in prize money.

Since turning pro back in 1998, Stosur captured six singles titles plus 28 doubles trophies, including seven grand slam crowns.

She reached world No.1 in doubles in 2006 and represented Australia at a record five Olympic Games.

Stosur thanked “everyone who has been along with me the 20 years”.

“The coaches, they know who they are, they have all helped me in some way on and of o the court, showed me into the person I am,” she said.

“The family - they are all down there now. Mum and dad, my brothers for giving up everything early on driving me to tournaments on the weekend, getting dragged along for Sam’s tennis.

“But I think it was all worth it, so thanks for giving everything you’ve got as well.”

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