Home > Sports > News > Reuters > Report

Davenport considers retirement

Alastair Himmer | February 04, 2004 19:23 IST

Former world number one Lindsay Davenport is thinking about quitting tennis after dropping "off the radar" in recent years.

The American lost to current number one Justine Henin-Hardenne in the Australian Open quarter-finals last week, a result which has prompted her to consider retirement.

"Definitely, I think about it a lot more now than I ever have," said Davenport after thrashing Venezuelan Maria Vento-Kabchi 6-2, 6-1 at the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo on Wednesday.

"Also, the last two years I don't really feel like I've been that competitive in the top four or five. I don't want to be like a perennial quarter-finalist for the rest of my career."

The 27-year-old Californian won the 1998 U.S. Open, 1999 Wimbledon and 2000 Australian Open titles but has endured a barren spell since that Melbourne triumph.

"I haven't had one of those really big wins in a Grand Slam situation and I've stopped winning as many titles as I used to," said Davenport.

"Definitely, it just gets a little bit more frustrating because for a few years, from 1997 until I had my knee surgery (in January 2002), I don't think I was out of the top three or four."

HAPPY MARRIAGE

Davenport, who joked in Australia that she had fallen "off the radar," admitted that her Grand Slam drought, combined with a happy marriage, had made her consider her future plans.

"You know, as well as being married, not being as successful also weighs a little bit on that decision," said Davenport, who married investment banker Jon Leach in April 2003.

"But at the end of the day, every time I think about it, I still like to play and I still think at this stage of my life I would be a little bit lost without tennis."

However, a decision does not appear too far away for Davenport, who has won 38 WTA Tour singles titles, a gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and more than $16 million in prize money.

"As soon as I feel like I've put absolutely everything into it, then I'll probably walk away," she said.

"I don't know when that will be but certainly last year, I thought about it an awful lot."


Article Tools
Email this article
Print this article
Write us a letter



Related Stories


Aussies suffer, Clijsters rolls

Clijsters eager to break jinx

Americans dazzle in Melbourne



People Who Read This Also Read


Venus looking to rise again

Federer, his own man

Mankad to shoulder India's hopes








© Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.










Copyright © 2004 rediff.com India Limited. All Rights Reserved.