Former Top 20 player Agnes Szavay retires at the age of 24 due to chronic back trouble. The Hungarian said on her web site that she did not want to undergo a risky surgery for a broken vertebrae if there was no guarantee she would fully heal.
“It's a shocking moment, as my life has revolved around tennis for the past 10 years,” said Szavay, who won five career titles. “It was hard, but I owe a lot to this sport. I learned that I cannot hope for a full recovery from surgery, so I had to realize that, unfortunately, there is no other way.”
Szavay, who cracked the Top 20 in 2007, says that she wants to start a tennis academy. “I know this will be a big change in my life, but I have plans and I will get it done,” she said.