World No.1 retires from professional tennis with Facebook statement

Ana Ivanovic has announced she is hanging up her racquet, bringing her illustrious tennis career to an end at the age of 29.

The Serbian former world No.1 chose to deliver the news to her fans on Facebook on Wednesday night.

She had promised to reveal "important" news the day before.

"I have some big news I want to share with you. I have not announced it anywhere else because I think you deserve to hear it first. There is no other way to say this. I have decided to retire from professional tennis," Ivanovic said.

"It was a difficult decision but there is so much to celebrate. Don't be sad, be optimistic alongside me. My love and my greatest thank you to all of you."

There has been speculation in recent years about Ivanovic's future in the sport, with the Serbian struggling to replicate the form that brought her only grand slam title at the French Open in 2008.

My dear fans & supporters. Pls tune in to my Facebook page tomorrow at 6pm UK time, where I'll be sharing something important with you live. pic.twitter.com/qRwf16kw4a

— Ana Ivanovic (@AnaIvanovic) December 27, 2016

She continued: "Top professional sport requires top physical form. And it's well known that I've been hampered by injuries.

So for myself, for all my fans, and for all those young girls and boys may have been watching me, I can only play if I can be up to my own high standards.

"And I can no longer do that, so it's time to move on."

Unfortunately for Ivanovic, she retires after a 2016 to forget in which she won just 15 matches all year, the most recent in June, and slipped to 65th in the rankings.

My dear fans & supporters. Pls tune in to my Facebook page tomorrow at 6pm UK time, where I'll be sharing something important with you live.

After suffering a fifth straight loss in the opening round of the US Open in August, Ivanovic insisted she was not thinking of retiring, saying: "I just need to really see why is this happening.

"I had struggles throughout my career. I had some tough times. This is not the first time I'm going through this. It just hurts because I know what I invested."

A few days later Ivanovic, who married Manchester United midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger in the summer, announced she was calling time on her season in a bid to allow wrist and toe injuries to fully heal.

Bastian Schweinsteiger and Ana Ivanovic watch Serbia's Novak Djokovic during the final against Great Britain's Andy Murray

Ivanovic posted pictures of herself back in training in November and was one of the highest-profile players to compete in this year's International Premier Tennis League in Asia.

She was due to begin the new season at the ASB Classic in Auckland, starting on January 2, and was also on the entry list for the Australian Open.

Ivanovic's career highlights include reaching the Australia Open final, also in 2008, and the 2007 Wimbledon semi-finals.

She won 15 WTA titles with career on-court earnings totalling US$15,510,787.