'TIME TO SAY GOODBYE': CAROLINE GARCIA ANNOUNCES LOOMING RETIREMENT

Caroline Garcia preparing for her final French Open. (Getty/Robert Prange)

Previously world No.4 on two occasions, Caroline Garcia has declared her imminent retirement in an emotional post before playing at her home Slam.

The 31-year-old, who claimed the biggest accolade of her career by winning the 2022 WTA Finals, has battled injuries for a large chunk of a promising journey.

Earlier in May, Garcia shared a photo of herself in the hospital after undergoing shoulder surgery, as she questioned whether playing through the pain was worth it.

She will face Bernarda Pera in the first-round of Roland-Garros in what will be her final Slam in Paris.

"It's time to say goodbye. After 15 years competing at the highest level, and more than 25 years putting pretty much every second of my life into it, I feel ready to start a new chapter," she wrote on her social media accounts.

"My tennis journey hasn’t always been easy. Since my early days, tennis has been much more than just winning or losing. It's been love or hate. Happiness or anger. Still, I'm deeply grateful for this journey -- for everything tennis has given me, and for how much it's helped me become a strong, passionate, hard-working woman. But now, it's time for something else. My body and my personal goals need it.

"Still, this is not over -- not just yet. I have a few tournaments left. The first one is at home, at Roland Garros. My 14th consecutive time being part of it. And my last. So to all my tennis family who'll be around: let’s meet one more time, to dream, and fight together. In the coming days, there will be more time to share what's next for me. But for now, I just want to focus on living these last weeks as a tennis pro to the fullest."

"Thank you so much for your support. See you soon on court."

Garcia won 11 titles throughout her career, with her first coming in 2014 in Bogota.

She also won the French Open doubles title twice in 2016 and 2022.

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