Amelie Mauresmo Bids Adieu...
Even if one felt it coming, there is still a sense of sadness with the news that French tennis player, Amelie Mauresmo, is retiring at the age of 30. The 2006 Australian Open and Wimbledon Champion, said that she no longer had the desire to continue training in
order to compete at her best. "I don't want to train anymore," a teary-eyed Mauresmo said at the press conference in France today, "I had to make a decision, which became evident in the last few months and weeks. When you grow older, it's more difficult to stay at the top. It's a bit sad, but this is the right decision. I was lucky enough to have an exceptional career and to experience very strong feelings on the court." Amelie also said, "I dreamt of this career, I dreamt of winning a Grand Slam title, I lifted trophies in every city in the world and I lived 10 magical and unbelievable years."
On the tennis court, Mauresmo “arrived” in 1996 when she won the French Open and Wimbledon Junior Girls titles ending the year as the ITF Junior World Champion. Mauresmo really announced her arrival as a professional when she reached the 1999 Australian Open Final losing to Martina Hingis, but beating Lindsay Davenport along the way. Overall, Amelie collected 25 singles titles and 3 doubles titles. Amelie achieved the Number One ranking in 2004, the first French tennis player, male or female, to hold that honor. Mauresmo was ranked Number One for a total of thirty-nine weeks and finished in the top ten for seven years between 1999 and 2006. Amelie also won a Silver Medal at the Athens Olympics and helped France win the Federation Cup in 2003.
Mauresmo did not address her plans for the next phase of her life, but one hopes that she will maintain ties to tennis. Amelie will be missed on the court for her stylish all-court game, soft touch and flowing one-handed topspin backhand. Her class in dealing with several awkward situations in her career also set her apart. For example, when Justine Henin retired in the middle of the 2006 Australian Open Final, many will remember that Amelie walked over and sat down next to Justine before the awards ceremony despite the fact that Henin’s mid-match retirement had denied Mauresmo that moment of victory upon winning her first Grand Slam title. Few would have had the grace to handle that moment in that manner. Mauresmo’s honesty, subtle humor and warmth will hopefully continue to radiate outside the lines as she walks into the next phase of her life.
On the tennis court, Mauresmo “arrived” in 1996 when she won the French Open and Wimbledon Junior Girls titles ending the year as the ITF Junior World Champion. Mauresmo really announced her arrival as a professional when she reached the 1999 Australian Open Final losing to Martina Hingis, but beating Lindsay Davenport along the way. Overall, Amelie collected 25 singles titles and 3 doubles titles. Amelie achieved the Number One ranking in 2004, the first French tennis player, male or female, to hold that honor. Mauresmo was ranked Number One for a total of thirty-nine weeks and finished in the top ten for seven years between 1999 and 2006. Amelie also won a Silver Medal at the Athens Olympics and helped France win the Federation Cup in 2003.
Mauresmo did not address her plans for the next phase of her life, but one hopes that she will maintain ties to tennis. Amelie will be missed on the court for her stylish all-court game, soft touch and flowing one-handed topspin backhand. Her class in dealing with several awkward situations in her career also set her apart. For example, when Justine Henin retired in the middle of the 2006 Australian Open Final, many will remember that Amelie walked over and sat down next to Justine before the awards ceremony despite the fact that Henin’s mid-match retirement had denied Mauresmo that moment of victory upon winning her first Grand Slam title. Few would have had the grace to handle that moment in that manner. Mauresmo’s honesty, subtle humor and warmth will hopefully continue to radiate outside the lines as she walks into the next phase of her life.
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