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Quitting while on top
Steven LynchAugust 22, 2013
Has anyone before Marion Bartoli retired immediately after winning Wimbledon - or any grand slam singles tournament? asked Philip Watkinson
Before the Open era, quite a few champions did not appear again in grand slam events after winning a title, usually because they then turned professional (this accounts for men like Fred Perry and Donald Budge, among others).
Since the Open era began in 1968, the only man who never played another grand slam event after winning one was Pete Sampras, who bowed out after his emotional victory in the US Open in 2002. Although he did not announce his retirement until the following year's US Open, Sampras had not played any tour events in the interim.
On the women's side, Britain's Ann Jones never played another grand slam singles match after the relief of finally winning Wimbledon in 1969, although she did compete in other tournaments, and occasionally in the doubles at Grand Slam events.
Maureen Connolly was forced to retire by injury after winning the US Championships in 1954, while Shirley Fry, another American, retired to get married after winning the Australian Championships in 1957: she actually won the last three grand slam titles she contested (Wimbledon and US in 1956, and the Australian the following year).
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