A year doesn’t go by without a famous player saying goodbye to professional tennis. It’s a difficult step into the unknown for each of them. After years spent on the courts, on airplanes and in hotel rooms, suddenly they have much time on their hands. On the other hand, many of them don’t get bored in their sporting retirement.
When the American Andy Roddick said goodbye to tennis years ago, it was such a surprise that no one even asked what he wanted to do when he stopped circumnavigating the world of tennis courts. He declared that his dog would be the happiest about the decision.
Andy isn’t bored in retirement, however. Even as an active player, he was heavily involved in charitable organizations and hadn’t stopped even after the clay had been nipping at his heels. He also plays golf and is a regular commentator for various TV stations on the most important tennis tournaments.
Roddick is neither the first nor the last tennis player to deal with a new life. The following are 5 famous players and their “retirement” stories. Stay tuned!
Patrick Rafter
Double US Open winner and former world number one Patrick Rafter retired from tennis in 2002. He dropped out of the public eye and worked for his foundation, helping children. In 2010, this happily married father of two became captain of the Australian Davis Cup team, which he held until January 2015. He has also tried his hand at modelling and promoting underwear.
Alex Corretja
Alex Corretja was one of the most cheerful and friendly players on the ATP circuit. In 2005, he declared the end of his career and became a reporter for Spanish television. With his brother Ivan, he started an organization to support young Spanish tennis and football players. In 2008, he was helping Andy Murray prepare for the clay courts.
He divorced his long-time girlfriend and later wife Marta in 2009 and has two daughters with her. One year later, he was already committed to Murray full time. In autumn 2011, he became captain of the Spanish Davis Cup team, which he led for two years. In 2015, he joined the Eurosport TV channel.
Marat Safin
When the Russian Marat Safin defeated Pete Sampras in 2000, it shocked the sporting world. Former world number one said goodbye to his professional career in 2009 after a series of protracted injuries. Once he closed the door behind him, tennis seemed to cease to exist for him.
“I could shoot commercials and pretend to be a celebrity, but it’s not my style,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald in an interview. He threw himself into politics instead. He was elected a member of the Russian parliament for Nizhny Novgorod in 2011, while Pete Sampras predicted he would become Russia’s president in 20 years. He was the first Russian to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2016 and resigned his political post a year later.
Björn Borg
A phenomenal Swedish tennis player wrapped up his professional tennis career in 1983 and subsequently pendulated between his two homes – Monte Carlo and one of the islands off the coast of Sweden. He had two unsuccessful marriages, sired one illegitimate child and made an unsuccessful attempt to return to the tennis circuit in 1990.
The setbacks didn’t last forever. He is now the happy owner of the fashion brand Björn Borg and an equally delighted husband. “It took me many years to come to terms with myself and figure out what I wanted to do,” he tells Britain’s The Guardian.
Andre Agassi
When the American Agassi last waved to the crowd from the court in 2006, he retired as a world legend who had won all four grand slams and Olympic gold. After retiring from ATP tournaments, the 6th most successful tennis player in history disappeared and lived happily with his wife Steffi Graf and their two children.
In the process, he started a charitable foundation that bore his name. He was able to raise $60 million for it. The foundation helped at-risk children. He published a biography called Open in 2009, where he admitted that he kind of allowed himself to ban substances during his career, hinting that it was not uncommon in the tennis world. He occasionally still plays exhibition matches.
