Wheelchair tennis star Esther Vergeer retires

[February 12, 2013]  THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) -- Wheelchair tennis star Esther Vergeer says she is retiring immediately, bringing to an end one of sport's longest winning streaks and a career peppered with Grand Slam and Paralympic titles.

Vergeer tweeted on Tuesday that it was a special day as she has "officially stopped tennis."

The 31-year-old Dutchwoman took a break from the sport last year to consider her future after winning her fourth straight Paralympic title in wheelchair singles with a 6-0, 6-3 victory over Aniek van Koot, taking her remarkable nine-year winning streak to 470 matches.

Vergeer went to No. 1 in the wheelchair rankings in 1999 and never relinquished the top spot.

The last time she lost a match was to Daniele di Toro in Sydney on Jan. 30, 2003.

[Associated Press]

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