Berdych calls time on career

Former world number four Tomas Berdych has confirmed his retirement from tennis after 17 years as a professional. Berdych struggled with a hip injury during his final season on tour and his last match was a US Open first-round defeat against Jenson Brooksby in August, the tournament he reached the semi-finals of in 2012. During his career, the 34-year-old failed to win a Grand Slam, but he came close on numerous occasions, reaching the last-four stage of the Australian Open in 2014 and 2015, while also making the semis of the 2010 French Open. The Czech Republic star came closest to winning one of the ‘big four’ events when defeating Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic back-to-back before being beaten by Rafael Nadal in the final at Wimbledon in 2010. Berdych bows out of the game having won 13 ATP titles, during which he finished inside the world’s top 10 for seven consecutive seasons between 2010 and 2016. He made the announcement at the ATP Finals in London on Saturday and becomes the latest player to confirm his retirement. Former world number five and 2016 WTA Finals champion Dominika Cibulkova announced the end of her glittering career on Tuesday, while doubles stars, the Bryan brothers, revealed they would be hanging up their rackets after the 2020 US Open.