Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - June 4, 2021 Japan’s Shingo Kunieda in action during his wheelchair quarter final match against Great Britain’s Gordon Reid REUTERS/Benoit Tessier
Shingo Kunieda has 28 Grand Slam singles titles to his name and is considered to be one of the greatest players of all-time
Legendary wheelchair Tennis player Shingo Kunieda has officially announced his retirement at the age of 38. The Japanese has won 28 Grand Slam singles titles and completed the career Grand Slam of all four majors when he won Wimbledon in 2022. He is the current world number one in the singles category of men’s wheelchair Tennis.
In his official statement, Kunieda stated: “I have been thinking about the retirement since my dream came true at Tokyo Paralympics. Last year Wimbledon singles title for the first time made me feel that my energy was little left to compete.” He added: “By capturing the 10th time (as ITF) World Champion, I felt that I had done enough in what I wanted to accomplish and thought it was the right time to retire.” Kunieda is an evergreen name in World Tennis and he will certainly be missed on the professional tour.
Kunieda started playing on the professional tour in 2004. During his illustrious career, the Japanese has won 11 Australian Open titles, with eight wins at both Roland Garros and the US Open and one Wimbledon title. Besides that, he has bagged 22 Grand Slam doubles titles and three singles gold medals at the Paralympics, in 2008, 2012 and in Tokyo in 2021. He won a doubles gold medal in 2004.
Kunieda’s sheet achievements over the years makes him one of the greatest tennis players of all time. He has won 103 career titles over singles and doubles combined, including 50 majors. The Japanese was the ITF World Champion from 2007 to 2010. He was also the year-end No. 1 in doubles in 2007. Kunieda’s retirement means that the men’s wheelchair competition is now more open with new faces set to conquer the circuit.
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