Caroline Garcia, former US Open semifinalist and once ranked world No. 4, revealed earlier this year that she plans to retire from professional tennis. Before beginning her 14th consecutive French Open campaign, the 31-year-old stunned the tennis world by declaring, “It’s time to say goodbye.”

After nearly 15 years competing at the highest level and 25 years devoted to the sport, Garcia said she’s ready to start a new chapter. Since turning pro in 2011, she has captured 11 singles titles and now hopes to end her career on a high.

Her career highlights include reaching the US Open semifinals and winning the WTA Finals in 2022, along with a French Open quarterfinal in 2017. A two-time Grand Slam doubles champion, Garcia has struggled this season, winning just 36.4% of her singles matches. She suffered first-round exits at both the Australian and French Opens, but arrived in Cincinnati determined to rebound.

In Cincinnati, she battled past Sonay Kartal in a grueling 2-hour-36-minute opener played in sweltering heat—conditions so harsh that Taylor Townsend called them “hot as hell.” Garcia admitted, “It was so hot, so tough out there… I was exhausted. I felt like I let my opportunity go away, and it was a long way to the end of the match.” The physical toll may be showing: against Karolina Muchova in her next match, she dropped the first set 7-6(3) and trailed 2-3 in the second before calling a medical timeout for a left thigh issue.

This isn’t her first setback in 2025. Caroline Garcia withdrew from the Madrid Open earlier in the season due to a back injury, returning only in time for the French Open. The latest injury has sparked fresh concerns ahead of her farewell tournament—the US Open—where she has received a wild card.

Caroline Garcia opens up about the real reason behind her retirement

Garcia has been candid about her reasons for retiring. Last year, after playing 34 matches, she ended her season in mid-September, citing mental fatigue and a need for a break. This year, she’s competed in just 11 matches.

Following her win over Kartal—her first since March—Garcia said, “Some people don’t understand and they say, ‘Oh, but you are young,’ but I’ve been there for a long time. I’ve had ups and downs, tough moments level-wise, result-wise, and as a person. I don’t want to just play tennis just to play tennis.”

Off the court, Garcia has also embraced new beginnings. On July 19, she married her long-time partner Borja Duran—her co-host on the tennis podcast The Tennis Insider Club—at the historic La Torre Del Remel in Spain. As she closes this chapter of her career, Garcia looks forward to more joy and light in her life.