Ljubicic Announces Retirement for April
Croatia's former world number three Ivan Ljubicic announced Thursday he will retire from the sport after competing in the Monte Carlo ATP event in April.
A Davis Cup winner in 2005 and an Olympic bronze medal winner in doubles at the 2004 Games, the 32-year-old Ljubicic -- who has just had a second daughter -- said he is now looking forward to the next stage of his life.
"It's never an easy decision for any professional athlete to retire," said Ljubicic.
"I look forward to the next stage of my life. Tennis has given me so much and I want to continue to stay involved and contribute in some ways."
Ljubicic, currently 40th in the ATP rankings, has won 10 career singles titles, notably the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells in 2010 when he beat Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Andy Roddick.
Swiss star Roger Federer paid tribute to Ljubicic Wednesday in Indian Wells.
"I have a very good friendship with Ljubicic, and it's been sad seeing him retiring really since I've known about it for quite some time," Federer said.
"We've talked at length at times about it, but I think it comes at the right time for him and he's in a perfect spot with his family. He's just had a second daughter."
Source: Agence France Presse
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