Bartoli hangs up her racket

Wimbledon-winning French star Marion Bartoli is overcome by emotion while announcing her retirement at the Cincinnati Masters in Ohio on Wednesday. PHOTO: AFP

French tennis star Marion Bartoli made a shock retirement announcement Wednesday, ending her career at the top of her game just six weeks after winning Wimbledon.
Citing a string of injuries, Bartoli dropped the bombshell shortly after losing in the second round of the Cincinnati Masters to Simona Halep.
Bartoli, who is currently ranked a career-high seventh in the world, suffered a stunning 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 defeat to the 21-year-old Romanian.
"It's time for me to retire and to call it a career. I feel it's time for me to walk away," said the 28-year-old as she wiped away tears.
The announcement comes just two weeks before Bartoli was scheduled to compete in the US Open in New York.
Bartoli said Wimbledon helped her reach her goal of winning a Grand Slam but also took a toll on her physical and mental well-being.
"I've been a tennis player for a long time, and I had the chance to make my biggest dream a reality," said Bartoli, who won more than 11 million dollars in prize money during her 13-year career.
"I felt I really, really pushed through the ultimate limits to make it happen. But now I just can't do it anymore," she said.
"I've been through a lot of injuries since the beginning of the year. I really pushed through and left it all during ... Wimbledon."
"I really felt I gave all the energy I have left inside my body. It [Wimbledon] will stay forever with me, but now my body just can't cope with everything," she added.
Bartoli, who turned professional in 2000, has battled a series of injuries over the past few years and has played just three matches since her Wimbledon victory.
She won a match last week in Toronto over American Lauren Davis but lost to 33rd-ranked Slovak Magdalena Rybarikova the next day.
"I have pain everywhere after 45 minutes or an hour of play," Bartoli said. "I've been doing this for so long ... body-wise I just can't do it anymore."