The 31-year-old became the first woman from her country to reach the last four at Wimbledon in 2017
Former World No. 17 and Wimbledon semifinalist Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia has announced her retirement, effective at the conclusion of this year’s Fed Cup Finals in Budapest from 14-19 April.
“I think it is a definite and irreversible decision,” she told Tenisovysvet.sk. “I had time to think about it. It will be a nice point in my career.”
Rybarikova won four career titles and was known for her ability to excel on the grass. She reached the final at Birmingham in 2009 and won the title there in 2017. But she struggled on grass at Wimbledon despite her affinity for the surface—until 2017. That year, Rybarikova went on a stunning run to the semis on her 37th career appearance at a major.
Ryarikova became the first Slovakian to reach that far at Wimbledon after beginning the 2017 campaign at 156 in the WTA rankings due to injuries to her wrist and knee.
In total she won 18 of 20 matches on grass that season.
Rybarikova, 31, will end her career with nine Top 100 year-end finishes and four Top 50 year-end finishes.
“The year 2017 was my best, but the year before I had two operations and I was already considering whether it would work and whether I would go back,” Rybarikova said. “Then, unfortunately, the injuries came again. I had a lot of them. Last year I went from injury to injury.”
