MIAMI, Feb 15: Former world No 1 Monica Seles announced her official retirement from professional tennis at the age of 34 on Thursday, nearly five years since she last played.

Seles won nine Grand Slam singles titles and 53 tournaments in her career. She had not played competitively since the 2003 French Open but, plagued by a succession of foot injuries, had tried to launch several comebacks.

The native Yugoslav won her first Grand Slam at the 1990 French Open and became world No 1 in 1991, staying top of the rankings until April 1993 when she was stabbed during a match in Hamburg, Germany.

She did not play again for more than two years but made a swift impact on her return, winning the Canadian Open and Australian Open as well as reaching the US Open final.

Seles, who became a US citizen in 1994, played her final match at the 2003 French Open where she suffered a first-round loss to Nadia Petrova.

Struggled with foot injuries for years, she chose not to undergo surgery, hoping the stress fractures would heal naturally.

In 2004 she competed in World Team Tennis but lost heavily to players she would have beaten easily in her prime.

“Monica Seles is one of the great champions in the history of the WTA Tour, and an inspiration and role model for millions of fans throughout the world.

“No one will ever forget the fierce determination and will to win that Monica brought to the court, nor the caring and warm person that she has always been off the court,” said Larry Scott, CEO of the WTA Tour, paying tribute to Seles.

Seles claimed a major haul of four Australian, three French and two US Open titles.—Reuters