Canadian Player Niemeyer Retires

AP

Canada's Frederic Niemeyer serves to Roger Federer, from Switzerland, during the second round of play at the Rogers Cup tennis tournament, Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2009, in Montreal.

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MONTREAL -- Frederic Niemeyer officially retired from professional tennis during a news conference Thursday, but he won't be leaving tennis altogether.

Niemeyer instead will join Tennis Canada as a personal coach for promising 18-year-old Milos Raonic of Thornhill, Ont. Niemeyer will train Raonic in Montreal and also will travel with the teenager 18 weeks a year on the pro tour.

Raonic made his ATP Tour debut at this year's Rogers Cup in Montreal, winning his first two matches against No. 77 Teimuraz Gabashvili of Russia and No. 113 Michael Llorda of France to advance through the qualifying. He then delighted an overflow crowd at the BN grandstand court, taking 11th-seeded Fernando Gonzalez to the limit before losing 4-6, 7-6 (6), 6-4.

Montreal Gazette

Luis Horna of Peru also hung up his raquet in recent days.


Getty

Lima, Nov. 13 (ANDINA) - Luis Horna, one of the greatest players in Peru's tennis history if not the best, announced in tears his retirement from professional tennis at age 29.

The 2008 Roland Garros doubles champion announced he will retire from professional tennis after the "Challenger of Lima", starting this upcoming weekend.

"I've decided to retire from professional tennis after the Challenger of Lima," were the first words Horna said at a press conference he called to announce his future at professional tennis and Davis Cup.

"Lucho" was away from courts during several months this season due to a series of injuries. Recently he had suggested the possibility to going on some more years, but he seemed to need some break.

"I don't say no to Davis Cup. I could be in the future in the team," said Horna, when asked about it, although he didn't specify if his comeback would be as a player or as collaborator in the national team, whose main goal for next year is to get back to Group 1 of the American Zone.

He added that the best moment in his career was when he represented Peru at the Davis Cup. "It was when we took Peru to the World Group," he added.

Horna said that this victory was even more important than when he won the Roland Garros doubles title.

Horna will become a tennis trivia answer. He is the last player to beat Raja in the opening round of a Slam at Roland Garros 2003.