After suffering from recurring injuries in the previous four years, Kevin Anderson has decided to put an end to his tennis career. The 35-year-old from South Africa got as high as world #5 in the ATP Rankings and finished runner-up at two Grand Slam events–the 2017 US Open and the 2018 Wimbledon, as well as qualifying for the year-end finals that season.
Anderson won a total of seven ATP Tour titles, the most recent one taking place in Newport last year. His biggest trophy was the 2018 Vienna Open (ATP 500), where he managed to defeat Kei Nishikori in the final.
One of the best servers in the history of the game, Anderson also had a lot of quality in his baseline game. A bit of a late bloomer, he suddenly went from someone who only made an impact in minor ATP events to a top 10 player who threatened to win Grand Slam titles (although he lost both to Rafael Nadal in New York and to Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon in straight sets). For his height, Anderson was also a very decent mover. His playstyle made him the most effective on faster surfaces, especially on grass where he had a 62% win rate in main-tour events, compared to his overall one of 58%.
Retirement announcement
A note for everyone who has been a part of my tennis journey. (1-4/5) pic.twitter.com/atueKpob84
— Kevin Anderson (@KAndersonATP) May 3, 2022
Anderson announced his retirement in a social media post, crediting the people who helped him along the way. The South African also mentions the University of Illinois, where he played for three seasons during his college career. In 2006, the 35-year-old won the NCAA Division I doubles championships with his teammate Ryan Rowe.
Recently, the nagging injuries were often stopping Anderson from achieving good results, or even prohibiting him from competing. The South African played a pretty full season in 2021 though, taking his aforementioned 7th ATP title on the grass at Newport. This year, Anderson scored just three wins and eight losses, making the second rounds at Dallas and Miami, a poor run of form that likely contributed to his decision.
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