Arantxa will probably retire at the end of this year...

I am afraid, really afraid, it is finally true... Anyway I still hope that's an error.

:sad: :sad: :sad:

Here is the website:
http://www.elmundodeportivo.es/20021109/NOTICIA50447421.html

Sí, lo deja

Arantxa Sánchez Vicario anunciará el próximo martes que se retira tras 17 años en el circuito profesional

Ángel Rigueira / BARCELONA


09/11/02 03:00 h.Mundo Deportivo ha podido desvelar la incógnita originada por la convocatoria de Arantxa Sánchez Vicario a todos los medios de comunicación para el próximo martes. Según fuentes solventes del mundo de la raqueta, la catalana anunciará en el Open Sports Club, que regentan su hermano Emilio y Sergio Casal, que deja el tenis tras diecisete años y medio en el circuito profesional.

Arantxa, que cumplirá 31 años el próximo 18 de diciembre, colgará la raqueta, una posibilidad que empezó a circular en el pasado Open USA. Después de su tercera derrota consecutiva en una ronda inicial del Grand Slam, esta vez ante la francesa Marion Bartoli, la barcelonesa denotó por vez primera en público dudas sobre su futuro.

“Al final del año diré algo, si sigo o no. Son 17 años como profsional, te vas dando cuenta de que el cuerpo no aguanta como antes y que el nivel del tenis ha subido mucho”, comentó en Flushing Meadows, donde también aclaró que “cuando me retire, lo dejaré del todo”, eliminando la posibilidad de una última temporada dedicada únicamente al doble, especialidad en la que esta temporada ha ganado cinco torneos, para un total de 66 títulos.

Su ránking mundial en la especialidad –séptima– contratasta con la clasificación individual: 54ª. No acababa una temporada profesional en un puesto tan bajo desde 1986, en los inicios. Sus mejores resultados en las competiciones de mayor nivel se han limitado a unos cuartos en Indian Wells y Hamburgo. En torneos menores, como el de Bruselas, sí fue capaz de llegar a la final, aunque cedió ante la suiza Casanova.

Primer aviso en Nueva York

Campeona en la Copa Hopman junto a Robredo a principios de año y finalista en la Copa Federación, uno de sus momentos más complicados en este 2002 tuvo como escenario Roland Garros. En su torneo fetiche, donde ganó tres de sus cuatro Grand Slams individuales y disputó otras tres finales (de ocho 'grandes' perdidas), se despidió de entrada ante Marta Marrero, vencedora por un 6-0, 6-1.

Entonces Arantxa apeló a la necesidad de “un tiempo de reflexión, pero esta derrota no es el fin del mundo, no para pensar si me retiro o no”.

Eludió la cita de Wimbledon alegando oficialmente “fatiga” y volvió en torneos de menor dotación, y por lo tanto de participación menos exigente, para probarse. Los resultados no llegaron ni en la tierra batida ni en el cemento, y en Nueva York, en agosto, surgió de sus labios la posibilidad de una retirada definitiva.

La española con el mejor palmarés en la historia del deporte de este país ha despejado las dudas personales y hará extensiva la decisión de cerrar su ciclo, a través de los medios de comunicación, el martes.

ain't that good news... i hope she retires soon... she's an annoying spanish mama to me and she always thinks that she can play as good as she was even at this age..... now she's proven wrong.....

sorry all arantxa fans ;)

it's always sad when a champion goes, but she can be really proud of what she achieved in her career:)

If she does I hope she'll do it during the Freanch where she had the most success of her carrer! This year was horible for her but she's still a champ that fights for every point!

According to the article, there are few hopes for a last season on the tour... I still cannot believe it!

Originally posted by Atxik
According to the article, there are few hopes for a last season on the tour... I still cannot believe it!
atxik, not knowing spanish, i dont undestand a lot of the article, so could you tell me what it says about hopes for next year?:kiss:

I hope she will play more for a year or two

Here follows an approximate translation:

El Mundo Deportivo has been able to keep awake the incognito originated by the call of Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario to all mass media for the next Tuesday. According to reliable sources of the world of the racket, the Catalan will announce in the Open Sports Club that she leaves tennis after 17 years in the professional circuit. Arantxa, that will fulfill 31 years the next 18 of December, will hang the racket, a possibility that began to circulate during the past US Open. After her third consecutive defeat in an initial round of the Grand Slam, this time before the French Marion Bartoli, the Barcelonian denoted in public for the first time doubts on its future. “At the end of the year I will say something, if I follow or no. There are 17 years like professional, you have to take into account that the body does not hold like before and that the level of tennis has raised much” she commented in Flushing Meadows, where also it clarified that “when I will retire, I will leave of the whole”, eliminating the possibility of a last dedicated season solely to the doubles, specialty in which this season she has gained five titles, for a total of 66 titles. Her world-wide ranking in the specialty is 7th, contrasting with the individual classification: 54th. She did not finish a season as professional in a so low position from 1986, in the beginnings. Her better results in the competitions of greater level have been limited to quarters in Indian Wells and Hamburg. In smaller tournaments, like the one of Brussels, she was able to reach the final, before losing before the Swiss Casanova.
First warning in New York
Champion in the Hopman Cup next to Robredo at the beginning of year and finalist in the Fed Cup, one of its more complicated moments in this 2002 had like scene Roland Garros. In her fetiche tournament, where she gained three of its four individual Grand Slams and disputed other three finals (of eight 'Slam finals' lost), she took leave of entrance before Marta Marrero, winner by a 6-0, 6-1. Then Arantxa appealed to the necessity of a time reflection, “but this defeat is not the aim of the world, it does not stop to think if I retire or no”. Exhaustion officially eluded the appointment of Wimbledon and she returned in matches of smaller category, and therefore of less demanding participation, to prove itself. The results arrived neither on clay nor on hardcourts, and in New York, in August, the possibility of a definitive retirement arose from its lips. The Spanish with best palmarès in the history of the sport of her country has cleared the personal doubts and will make the decision extensive to close her cycle, through mass media, on Tuesday.

thank you axtik. looks like she's gone then....

I'll wait until the announcement on Tuesday, from her mouth, to be sad (no need to get sad before time! ;)) - she can still change her mind until that day! :p

I hope Gallofa, I hope...

I am hoping for a "retirement tour", maybe the 10-15 tourneys that she has liked better through her career, so that everyone gets to say goodbye. I hope someone close to her is passing on this idea to her, so that we can see her on court one more time :)

And, I agree with everything you said in that other thread, nueva_armada, let's just allow it to drop out of sight :)

thank you

btw the retirement tour is a great idea :D i hope she will do that

Add me to that ;)

I'm hoping to go to the press conference on Tuesday; if she takes questions, I'll suggest it!

:D great!