After last year's US Open, Sam Groth had every intention to gear up for a strong finish to 2017 and start 2018 on the best note possible in Australia.
But something changed inside Groth. The 6'4” Aussie, who possessed one of the biggest serves on the ATP World Tour, lacked the same desire to improve as he had shown throughout his career.
So after talking with Lleyton Hewitt and others close to him, Groth decided that he would retire in 2018, and he'd do it at home, at the Australian Open.
“I just don't think my heart was in it to keep going,” Groth said. “I wanted to be able to go out at home as well.”
The 30-year-old partnered with his friend and former World No. 1 Hewitt in doubles at the Australian Open earlier this month. Groth/Hewitt upset third seeds and reigning US Open champions Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau in the second round.
[ALSO LIKE]
But the Aussies' run ended in the quarter-finals against eventual finalists and 11th seeds Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah.
Among his career highlights, Groth counts his 2015 season, which saw him reach the third round at the Australian Open, Wimbledon, where he took a set off Roger Federer, and at the US Open. Groth also achieved his career-high ATP Ranking of No. 53 that year and received Australia's Newcombe Medal, which is given annually to the country's most outstanding tennis player.
“That year 2015 was really special for me,” Groth said.
The right-hander celebrated two ATP World Tour doubles titles during his career as well, winning both 2014 Bogota and 2016 Dell Technologies Hall of Fame Open with countryman Chris Guccione.
In a way, this is Groth's second retirement from tennis. He picked tennis instead of Aussie Rules football when he was 16. But in 2011, Groth switched back to football and played for the Vermont Eagles in Melbourne, before returning to tennis for good in 2012. The Aussie is engaged to be married in November.
from Tennis - ATP World Tour http://ift.tt/2rQkYsd
No comments:
Post a Comment