Being a top level athlete can be incredibly rewarding, both emotionally, and of course financially. In the ideal scenario, all of the highest performers in each sport and discipline will keep fit and healthy for their entire career, and will only decide to finally call it quits after many years at the top.
There are, of course, examples of certain sports stars who keep on going way beyond most others in their profession — such as Ryan Giggs, the Manchester United winger who only retired when he had reached 40. If you think that is impressive, over in the NFL Tom Brady has been defying logic for a while now and is still going strong for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the ripe old age of 44. Few would place bets against him carrying on for at least another year or two.
Others are not quite so lucky, and unfortunately don’t ever get to fulfill their full potential due to a number of difficult injuries. That is the problem with the human body, that pushing it too hard at an early age, which all top athletes will have to do to make it as professionals. That can cause lasting damage, which is difficult to overcome.
In the world of tennis, a prime example of someone whose career was wrecked with injury is Andy Murray. It does feel weird to say that Murray didn’t achieve everything he was capable of, given that he is a three-time Grand Slam champion. The most famous win was in the 2013 Wimbledon final, where he upset all the betting odds by beating Novak Djokovic in straight sets. But he almost certainly would have won more than that if he had stayed fit and not had an ongoing problem with his hip that took him from world No. 1 to struggling to break into the top 100 of the ATP rankings.
Another
top tennis pro who has endured more than his fair share of injury problems is
Rafael Nadal. He is a 20-time Grand Slam champion and is arguably one of the
greatest tennis players of his or any generation. During his peak, whenever he
appeared in a final he would have great odds in the betting stats.
If you were looking to bet on tennis Grand Slam finals, most Bovada reviews would indicate their
sportsbook as a great place to start with tennis odds, and will certainly have odds
on Nadal to win the US, Australian, French Open, or Wimbledon if he makes it
there again. Considering his current injury record, which has ruined his last
few seasons, winning Wimbledon again or even playing it again may be unlikely.
Another tennis player who has been cut down in her prime is Johanna Konta, who recently announced her retirement from the game at just 30 years old. Let’s take a look into what has caused this decision, and also review some of her finest moments on the tennis court.
Troublesome knee one of the reasons for retirement
These days 30 is not particularly old for a tennis player. In fact, many come into their peak around this time, as they have enough experience on the court to know how to handle themselves in all manner of situations but still have the youthful energy and exuberance of a younger player. So it is a real shame to see Konta leave the sport at this age, when you would have thought she still had something to give.
One of the reasons for her retirement is a troublesome knee tendon, which she has been struggling with for a number of years. It had severely restricted her ability to play regularly, which is why she fell so dramatically down the ATP rankings this year — ending up in 113th in the world after being in 14th place in January. Konta has also said she doesn’t feel she can endure the significant commitments of elite tennis anymore.
“I just don’t have the energy anymore. It’s quite a nice place to leave it…. I don’t think there is much more than I can ask of myself.”
A career to look back on with pride
While of course many will feel that Konta never did achieve what she could have, that does ignore the fact that she did make real strides for British women in the world of competitive tennis. In 2017 she reached the Wimbledon semifinals, the first British lady to do so in 39 years. Not only that, but she also made it to the semis of the 2016 Australian Open as well as the 2019 French Open. While she never went on to win any of those tournaments, it is still an incredible achievement for anyone to make it that far.
So, yes, it is sad to see Johanna Konta leave the big stage — but we can only hope she looks back on her career fondly in years to come.
she probably overachieved, to be honest
Hardly a legend?
BRITISH one maybe