Shelby Rogers to retire from professional tennis after US Open

Next week's US Open will be the final one for Danielle Collins, Dominic Thiem and—as revealed on Friday morning—Shelby Rogers.

The 31-year-old South Carolinian made the announcement on social media, acknowledging the physical toll the last few years have taken. She underwent knee surgery in 2023 and has played just 15 singles matches this year, including qualifiers. She enters the US Open, where she'll face sixth-seeded compatriot Jessica Pegula in the first round, having lost her last five.

"I can confidently say that I have pushed by body to its limit," Rogers wrote. "These last couple of years fighting with injuries and surgeries have been challenging.

"I always said that if my heart loves it and my body is healthy I would play this sport forever! But now my body is telling me it's time."

Despite having not won a WTA tournament in her career, Rogers has accomplished much in the sport. A humble giant-killer, Rogers made a habit of punching above her weight. She’s never been ranked higher than 30th, but that hasn’t stopped her from defeating world No. 1 Ash Barty at the 2021 US Open, or Serena Williams in 2020—in a third-set tiebreaker, and in their only career meeting. She straight-setted Elena Rybakina on grass in 2022, right before the Kazakh won Wimbledon.

Currently ranked No. 356, Rogers has 307 career singles wins against 262 losses. She has reached the quarterfinals at Roland Garros (2016) and the US Open (2020) and is a three-time runner-up (Bad Gastein, 2014; Rio de Janeiro, 2016; San Jose, 2022).

While some might look at Rogers' career with a what-might-have-been lens, the always grateful player will likely exit the stage with no regrets.

“It’s really humbling, and makes me just want to keep going, work harder and try to do the best that I can,” Rogers told me in Charleston last spring. “And the kids that come up and say, you know, thank you for being the person that you are—which means more to me than anything I could do on court with tennis.”

A vocal fan of the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning, Rogers will need to catch lightning in a bottle to win even one more match, given her struggles and Pegula's run of form. One thing she won't lack is support, from fans—in a match that seems like a fit for Louis Armstrong or perhaps Arthur Ashe Stadium—or her fellow players.

"It’s been a joy watching and calling your career!" wrote Tracy Austin. "From ballgirl to Ashe Stadium-what a journey!"

"You deserved a few years long holiday after all you’ve been through lately," wrote Arina Rodionova.

"You’ve embodied enjoying the ride… and it’s one helluva roller coaster," wrote Bethanie Mattek-Sands. "Ama[z]ing things to come."

We'll give the last word to Rogers, though.

"I am very much looking forward to the next chapter in my life," she writes, "but I can't wait to see y'all in NY for one more US Open!"