Anne Keothavong announced her retirement from the game of tennis on Wednesday.
The British tennis pro suffered from a chronic heel injury that limited her potential at a crucial time in her career, the Telegraph reported.
"I’d like to be remembered as someone
who was determined and resilient," Keothavong told the Telegraph Sport. "I had quite a few setbacks but I persevered and kept going."
Keothavong added that she had "made the decision to quit a while ago, because physically I was simply not able to do what I used to do."
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Ranked No. 7 among British players, Keothavong was ranked 285th in the world at the time of her retirement. She was known for her dedication to the game and uncompromising work ethic.
"I was always a player who gained a lot of confidence from the work I put in on the practice court and that was increasingly being compromised by my heel injury, among other things," Keothavong told the Telegraph Sport.
"I think it will take a while to get used to the fact that I don’t have to rush off to another tournament, or get ready for the next training session," Keothavong added. "I will miss it but as much as we would all like to play professional tennis forever, there comes a point when you have to move on."
In her retirement, Keothavong will become a commentator on BT Sport – a soon-to-be-launched group of sports television channels that will appear the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Having learned to play tennis on public courts in England, the 29-year-old Keothavong did not have a typical tennis player’s background, the Telegraph notes.
Born in London, Keothavong's family came to the United Kingdom as refugees from Laos.
"I want to help with growing the game of tennis, which is an ongoing battle, because my experience of growing up on park courts could be useful for others," Keothavong said. "Exactly how that will work, I’m not sure. I am still thinking about what is the best way to pass on my knowledge."
Keothavong's older brother James is a leading tennis umpire, having officiated a match in the French Open semi-final two months ago.
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