Angelique Kerber announced via Twitter Wednesday morning that she is not playing the US Open due to being pregnant with her first child! The exciting news may mark the end of the 34-year-old’s incredible career. Her three Grand Slam titles ranks her fourth among active players, behind just the Williams sisters and Naomi Osaka. She has also won three different Majors, making her just a French Open title short of the career grand slam. Kerber spent 34 weeks at World #1, and based on accomplishments is the second-greatest German WTA player ever behind Steffi Graf. She has an incredible legacy in the sport and will be remembered as one of the top players in the Williams’ generation, highlighted by beating Serena twice in Major finals.
Kerber’s news is exciting for her and her family, but likely marks the tail end of her career in tennis. She has fallen off performance-wise, and at age 34 is already close to the retirement age of many players. She is currently outside the Top 50, while she was a Top 10 mainstay for much of her career. Pregnancy has not stopped women in the past from competing at a high level, with Tsvetana Pironkova making the US Open quarterfinals in 2020 just two years after giving birth to a son, and of course, Serena Williams’ incredible title while pregnant at the 2017 Australian Open. It is far from impossible to imagine Kerber making a comeback, but with her current form she may stop playing to focus on her life outside of tennis. Kerber has had a great career and will now get a chance to enjoy the rest of her life as a mother at her home in Poland.
Main Photo from Getty.
