Fed Cup

12/01/2021 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 12/01/2021 07:31

‘Grateful’: GB’s Johanna Konta announces retirement

Great Britain's Johanna Konta, the former world No. 4 and three-time Grand Slam semi-finalist, has announced her retirement from tennis at the age of 30.

"Grateful" was the word that bookended her 'little update' on social media on December 1, informing fans of the decision, "the word I've probably used the most during my career, and...the word I feel explains it best at the end."

Konta played 24 ties for Great Britain in Billie Jean King Cup by BNP Paribas between 2013 and 2019, ending with an 18-7 record in singles and 2-3 in doubles and leading the side to the cusp of the World Group on four occasions, culminating in GB's 3-1 victory over Kazakhstan in what would be her final appearance for the nation.

She went undefeated in 11 straight singles matches in the competition, a run that sae her notch victories over Naomi Osaka, Maria Sakkari, Anett Kontaveit and finally Yulia Putintseva in front of a raucous Copper Box crowd in east London.

Her commitment to the Great Britain team also saw her win a Billie Jean King Cup Heart Award in 2019 Her prize money was donated to Centrepoint, a UK-based charity for homeless young people.

Beyond Billie Jean King Cup, Konta reached the final four at the 2016 Australian Open, at Wimbledon in 2017 - the first British woman to do so in 39 years - and Roland Garros in 2019. She won four titles on the WTA Tour, the greatest of which came at the Miami Open in 2017, and was crowned champion as recently as the 2021 Nottingham Open in June 2021.

But after being ruled out of Wimbledon when a close contact tested positive for Covid, Konta herself contracted the virus shortly before Tokyo 2020, denying her a return to the Olympics following her Rio 2016 debut, a moment she has described as her best memory in the sport.

With her playing schedule heavily impacted by the pandemic, Konta was last seen on tour in August, her final win came in Montreal against world No. 15 Elina Svitolina, the Olympic bronze medallist in Tokyo, while her final match came a week later at the Cincinnati Open, a narrow three-set defeat by Karolina Muchova.

The Lawn Tennis Association described Konta as "A true inspiration to the next generation" and one of the most successful British players of the modern era.

"What Johanna accomplished on the court was incredible, but her professional aptitude is what set her apart,"Great Britain Billie Jean King Cup captain Anne Keothavong said as part of the LTA's tribute to the former British No. 1.

"As a Billie Jean King Cup player representing her country, she laid it all out there, led by example and who can forget her marathon performances in 2019 during our first home ties in more than quarter of a century. More than anything she is a kind and caring person, and we wish her all the best in the next chapter of her life."