On this day in 2007: Greg Rusedski announces retirement from tennis
The 33-year-old made his announcement in an emotional courtside interview at the Davis Cup.
Greg Rusedski announced his retirement from tennis on this day in 2007 after helping Great Britain defeat the Netherlands in the Davis Cup.
Rusedski partnered Jamie Murray to a crucial 6-1 3-6 6-3 7-6 (5) doubles win over Robin Haase and Rogier Wassen, which gave Britain an unassailable 3-0 lead in Birmingham.
The former world number four, then aged 33, revealed his retirement plans in an emotional courtside interview.
Rusedski had played just one previous match in 2007 – losing in the first round of a Challenger event in Sarajevo – as he struggled with a nagging hip injury and plummeting world ranking.
He had been expected to retire at some point during that year and ended speculation after helping Britain secure an elite World Group play-off, which they went on to win 4-1 against Croatia the following September.
Great Britain captain John Lloyd paid tribute to the world number 283, saying: “It’s good to go out playing a match like that but we’ll miss him. We’ve had a great team and Greg has been a big part of it.”
The former British number one was named BBC Sports Personality of the Year in 1997 after losing to Pat Rafter in the US Open final.
His booming serve-and-volley game seemed ideally suited to Wimbledon, but the furthest he got was the quarter-finals, losing to Frenchman Cedric Pioline in four sets in 1997.
He won 15 ATP Tour titles, securing his last one in Newport, Rhode Island, in 2005 on the same court he had won his first 12 years earlier.
