2012 in Tennis - Retirements

Retirements

Following is a list of notable players (winners of a main tour title, and/or part of the ATP Rankings Top 100 (singles) or Top 50 (doubles) for at least one week) who announced their retirement from professional tennis, became inactive (after not playing for more than 52 weeks), or were permanently banned from playing, during the 2012 season:

• Peter Luczak (born 31 August 1979 in Warsaw, Poland, moved to Australia in 1980) joined the main circuit in 2000, peaking at No. 64 in singles in 2009. Competing mainly on the ITF Men's Circuit and the ATP Challenger Tour during his career, Luczak's best result came with a gold medal in doubles (w/ Hanley) at the 2010 New Delhi Commonwealth Games. The Australian retired from the sport after losing in the second round of the Australian Open doubles in January.
• Rainer Schüttler (born 25 April 1976 in Korbach, West Germany, now Germany) turned professional in 1995, reaching career-high rankings of singles No. 5 in 2004, and doubles No. 40 in 2005. Schüttler won four singles and four doubles titles during his stint on the main circuit, his best Grand Slam results coming with a final at the Australian Open (2003, lost to Agassi), and a semifinal run at Wimbledon (2008). Alongside countryman Nicolas Kiefer, the German also took the silver medal in doubles at the 2004 Athens Olympics, losing the final in five sets (to González/Massú). Schüttler last played in Melbourne in January.
• Juan Pablo Brzezicki (born 12 April 1982 in Buenos Aires, Argentina) joined the tour in 2001, reaching a career-high ranking of singles No. 94 in 2008. Winner of one doubles titles on the main circuit, Brzezicki competed for the last time in Buenos Aires in February.
• Fernando González (born July 29, 1980 in Santiago, Chile) joined the main tour in 1999, and reached his best singles ranking, No. 5, in early 2007, finishing two seasons in the Top Ten (2006–07). A Junior World No. 1, winner of the boys' doubles at the US Open in 1997 and the boys' singles and doubles at the French Open in 1998, González won 11 singles and three doubles titles on the pro circuit, and gathered three medals at the Olympics : the bronze in singles and the gold in doubles (w/ Nicolás Massú, def. Kiefer/Schüttler) in 2004, and the silver in singles (lost the final to Nadal) in 2008. The Chilean reached the last eight at every major, making three quarterfinals at Wimbledon (2005) and the US Open (2002, 2009), one semifinal at the French (2009), and one final at the Australian Open (2007, lost to Federer). Struggling with injuries for more than a year before deciding to retire, González played his last event in Miami in March.
• José Acasuso (born 20 October 1982 in Posadas, Argentina) turned professional in 1999, reaching career-high rankings of singles No. 20 and doubles No. 27, both in 2006. Mainly a clay court specialist, the Argentine took three singles and five doubles career titles, all on the surface. Playing for Argentina, Acasuso competed in two Davis Cup finals (2006, 2008), but helped claim one World Team Cup title (2007). Acasuso announced his retirement in February, less than a year after his last match in the French Open qualifying in May 2011.
• Ivan Ljubičić (born 19 March 1979 in Banja Luka, SFR Yugoslavia, now Bosnia and Herzegovina) turned professional in 1998, peaking at No. 3 in singles in 2006, ending two seasons in the Top Ten (2005–06). During his career Ljubičić won 10 singles titles, including one Masters shield at Indian Wells (2010), and went past the fourth round twice in Grand Slam tournaments, reaching one quarterfinal at the Australian Open (2006) and one semifinal at the French Open (2006). Playing for his country, the Croat partnered Mario Ančić to a bronze medal in doubles at the 2004 Athens Olympics, and took part in one successful Davis Cup campaign (2005). Ljubičić played his last tournament in Monte Carlo in April.
• Arnaud Clément (born 17 December 1977 in Aix-en-Provence, France) became a tennis professional in 1996, peaking as singles No. 10 in 2001, and doubles No. 8 in 2008. In singles, Clément won four titles, made the quarterfinals at all majors but one (the French Open), and reached one Grand Slam final at the Australian Open (2001, lost to Agassi). In doubles, he collected 12 titles and made two major finals with Michaël Llodra, winning one at Wimbledon (2007), and losing the other in Australia (2008). A member of the French Davis Cup team for nine years, winner of one title (2001), Clément was selected in June to become the new captain starting in 2013. The Frenchman played his last event on the tour in the Wimbledon doubles in July.
• Andy Roddick (born 30 August 1982 in Omaha, United States) turned professional in 2000, and became the sixth American player to be ranked World No. 1 in singles when he reached the top spot on November 3, 2003, holding it for a single spell of 13 straight weeks. Roddick finished nine seasons in the ATP Rankings singles Top Ten (2002–10), including one year as No. 1 (2003), and also reached the No. 50 ranking in doubles in 2010. As a Junior, the American took two singles Grand Slam titles at the Australian Open and the US Open in 2000, finishing the season as Junior World No. 1. Over his 12-year pro career, Roddick collected 32 singles titles, on every surface, among which five Masters shields and one Grand Slam title, at the US Open (2003, def. Ferrero). Roddick's other best results in majors came with four semifinals at the Australian Open (2003, 2005, 2007, 2009), three finals at Wimbledon (2004, 2005, 2009, all lost to Federer), and another final at the US Open (2006, lost to Federer). In doubles, Roddick won four titles including one Masters trophy. Part of the United States Davis Cup roster for 25 ties over 10 years, Roddick helped the team to a final in 2004, and a title (the country's 32nd) in 2007. The American announced he would retire after the US Open in September.