Molik Announces Retirement

Almost right after her classic aggressive game helped get her all the way to the Top 10, an inner ear infection pushed her out of the sport for almost a year. And on Thursday, September 4, 2008, after over two years of trying to make her way back to the elite, Alicia Molik called it a career.

Molik, who turned pro in 1996, showed consistent growth as a player through her first several years on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, but it wasn't until 2004 that she really shot into the upper echelon, winning three titles and a bronze medal at the Athens Olympics, and finishing the season inside the Top 20 for the first time. She continued her upwards surge in the early stages of 2005, reaching her very first Grand Slam quarterfinal at the Australian Open, and shortly afterwards becoming the first Australian woman in more than 20 years to crack the Top 10 (spending 22 weeks inside the elite and peaking at No.8 for 12 of those weeks).

Molik's career was shaken up in a big way in the spring of 2005, as vestibular neuronitis - an inner ear infection that affects vision and balance - forced her off the Tour for the better part of 12 months. She returned in the spring of 2006 and enjoyed some success in the last two and a half years, reaching three more quarterfinals and winning her second Grand Slam doubles title at the French Open last year (with Italy's Mara Santangelo). But a variety of injuries just wouldn't let up, and all the withdrawals and lack of match play took its toll.

"It's tiring and it's very draining but I guess it's a number of things culminating," Molik said. "I've spent a lot of time thinking. I did have a huge setback three years ago, with my middle ear problem. It took a while to get back, and since then I've just struggled with a few more things that I never imagined would come along the way. But that isn't the only thing. I think I'm still young enough to focus my energies on something that I feel is again challenging."

Molik's singles career on the Tour was highlighted by five singles titles and the aforementioned Olympic bronze medal, as well as eight career Top 10 wins. She was also a Top 10 player in doubles, winning seven titles, including two majors. She reached three Grand Slam mixed doubles finals and represented her nation in Fed Cup for eight years and at three Olympic Games (2000, 2004, 2008).