Angelique Kerber, the 36-year-old German tennis player, saw her career come to an end after a hard-fought quarterfinal match against No. 6 seed Zheng Qinwen of China at the Olympics. Zheng emerged victorious with a score of 6-7(4) 6-4 7-6(6).
Just a week prior, Kerber had announced that the Paris Olympics would be her final tennis tournament. In a tense encounter, Kerber held a lead in the final set before Zheng rallied back to force a tie-breaker.
In a display of her trademark resilience, Kerber saved multiple match points but ultimately fell short. Despite returning to the sport this season after a maternity leave, Kerber boasts an impressive resume with three grand slam singles titles, an Olympic silver in singles at Rio 2016, and a total of 14 career singles titles.
In an emotional retirement announcement on Instagram, Kerber expressed gratitude for her tennis journey, stating that Paris would mark the end of a dream come true. She hinted at forthcoming messages of thanks once she completes her final match, emphasizing her intention to savor every moment of her last appearance on the court.
Looking ahead, Zheng faces a formidable challenge in the semifinals against world No. 1 Iga Swiatek of Poland. Swiatek, known for her dominance on clay courts, particularly at Roland Garros where she has clinched four of her five grand slam titles, is currently leading in her quarterfinal match against American Danielle Collins.
