Players who retired in 2024 ft. Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray
The 2024 tennis season saw numerous retirements from men's and women's tennis. While the retirements of Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray were seismic, Garbine Muguruza and Angelique Kerber were notable women's tennis retirees as well.
With the old guard retiring due to long-term injuries or loss of form, ATP and WTA Tours are on the verge of transition with players from the upcoming generations taking over.
Let's take a look at some of the notable retirees from the tennis world who hung up their rackets in 2024
#10. Camila Giorgi
Of all the retirements in 2024, Camila Giorgi's came most unexpectedly. The former World No, 26 announced her retirement via social media in May this year. However, speculation was ripe that the Italian was embroiled in legal controversies with the Italian authorities. However, Giorgi later debunked the claims and stated that she had retired from the sport on her own volition.
On the court, Giorgi won four WTA titles, with the Italian's finest accomplishment winning the 2021 Canadian Open by overcoming Karolina Pliskova in the final.
Giorgi's last event was the 2024 Miami Open, where he lost to Iga Swiatek in the second round.
#9 Alize Cornet
Alize Cornet drew the curtains on an 18-year-long career in 2024. The French woman retired while setting the record of appearing in 69 straight Grand Slam events at the 2024 French Open.
During her career, Cornet won 6 WTA titles in singles and also captured 3 doubles titles on the Tour. Her last singles title came in 2018 when the former World No. 11 won the Swiss Open.
Cornet's last match was against Zheng Qinwen at the French Open first round, which she lost in straight sets.
#8. Shelby Rogers
Shelby Rogers was one of the players who ended their career in 2024. The American players have been dealing with multiple injuries for the last few years and played only a handful of matches every season.
Rogers finished her career without any WTA titles in singles or doubles. She reached three singles finals and one doubles final in her career, but lost on all four occasions.
Rogers played her last match against compatriot Jessica Pegula in the first round of the 2024 US Open.
#7 Garbine Muguruza
Former World No. 1 Garbine Muguruza announced her retirement in April 2024. The former Grand Slam champion decided to call time on her career, as injuries hampered the Spaniard's on-court progress.
Muguruza is a two-time Major champion having won the 2015 French Open and the 2017 Wimbledon titles. She also reached two other Major finals at the 2015 Wimbledon (Lost to Serena Williams), and the 2020 Australian Open (lost to Sofia Kenin). Overall she won 10 singles titles and 5 doubles titles on the WTA circuit in her career.
Her last match on the Tour was a loss at the hands of Linda Noskova at the 2023 Lyon Open.
#6 Angelique Kerber
Another former Major Champion and Former World No. 1 who decided to retire from tennis in 2024 was Angelique Kerber. The German player had been plagued with injuries and was absent from the Tour for about one and a half years between 2022 and 2024.
Kerber won three Grand Slam titles, (Australian Open and US Open in 2016, and the Wimbledon title in 2018). The left-handed German also had success while playing for the country, as she won the silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Kerber played her last match against Zheng Qinwen at the Paris Olympics. In a tense three-set quarterfinal match, the former World No.1, lost in the final set tiebreaker.
#5 Steve Johnson
Steve Johnson was one of the prominent faces of American tennis in the 2010s. The American player drew the curtain on his tennis career in March 2024, after a steady loss of form and drop in ranking over the last few years.
Johnson won four singles titles on the ATP Tour and also captured two doubles titles. The American had his biggest achievement in doubles, winning the bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics with Jack Sock.
In his last career singles match, Johnson lost to Emilio Nava in the qualifying round of the 2024 BNP Paribas Open.
#4 Juan Martin del Porto
One of the finest players to have played the game, Juan Martin del Porto retired from professional tennis in 2024. The Argentine has been a former Major champion, a former World No. 3, and an Olympic medallist. However, injuries have been a sad theme for Del Potro as he has not played many matches on Tour in the last few years.
Del Porto won 22 singles titles in his career, of which the most notable triumph was the 2009 US Open. He reached the final at Flushing Meadows once more in 2018 but lost to Novak Djokovic. The Argentine also achieved national success with bronze and silver medals at the Olympics. He was also part of Argentina's successful 2016 Davis Cup campaign.
Del Porto played his last match against Novak Djokovic in a celebratory exhibition match. On a competitive level, his last match was against Federico Delbonis at the 2022 Argentina Open.
#3 Dominic Thiem
One of the most gifted players to ever play the game, Dominic Thiem retired from professional tennis in October 2024. The former World No. 3 had been suffering from a chronic wrist injury which saw his form and rankings drop off substantially in recent years.
The Austrian was known for his relative success against the Big Three (Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic). Of the 17 singles titles he won, the most notable was the 2020 US Open, his first Major win after losing three Major finals.
Thiem played his last match in his hometown of Vienna. He lost to Luciano Darederi in the first round of the 2024 Vienna Open.
#2 Andy Murray
One of the most prolific players to have played the game, Andy Murray was one of the most high-profile tennis retirements in 2024. The Brit was one of the players who could disrupt the dominance of the Big Three as he finished the 2016 season as the World No. 1.
The former World No. 1 has contested in 11 Major finals, of which he won three Grand Slam titles. Overall he won 46 singles titles in his career. Barring the Major wins, the Brit is also a two-time Olympic champion which distinguishes him from his peers.
Murray played his last professional match with Dan Evans at the Paris Olympics. The duo reached the last eight, losing to the American pair of Tommy Paul and Taylor Fritz. His last singles match was against Jordan Thompson at the 2024 Queen's Club Championships.
#1 Rafael Nadal
In one of the seismic announcements in modern tennis history, 22-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal announced his retirement in 2024. The Spaniard had a great 2022 season, winning two Grand Slams. But since then, old and new injuries have not allowed the former World No. 1 to perform at his best.
In one of the most storied careers in tennis history, Nadal won 92 titles, including 22 Grand Slams, 36 Masters 1000 titles, and Olympic gold in both singles and doubles. Nadal was also part of five successful Davis Cup campaigns for Spain.
The Spaniard's last match came at the 2024 Davis Cup when he lost only his second Davis Cup singles match against the Netherlands's Botic Van de Zandschulp.