Two-time US Open champion Pat Rafter has announced his retirement from professional tennis.
The Australian, also twice a runner-up at Wimbledon, has suffered injury problems in recent years and has now decided the time has come to hang up his racket.
The 30-year-old revealed his decision in a statement: "As you can probably understand, it has been a very difficult decision for me to make, which is why it took me some time to be sure I was making the right decision.
"After taking several months for my arm to recover from stress fracture injuries I sustained in late 2001, I wanted to make sure that besides gaining physical fitness, I still had the motivation to compete".
PA
