Caroline Garcia’s Career Highlights | Retirement After US Open

The end of a great career. On Monday, the Frenchman Caroline Garcia delivered her last performance on the WTA circuit during a final defeat at the US Open against Russian Kamilla Rakhimova (6-4, 4-6, 6-3). A last dance for the former world n ° 4 which had announced his retirement two days before living his last Roland-Garros, on May 23. “Since my beginnings, tennis has always represented much more than victories or defeats,” she said. For the occasion, return to the five moments that have marked his career.

2011: a promising match in Roland-Garros against Maria Sharapova at only 17 years old

A meeting will have perfectly launched Caroline Garcia on the professional circuit and this happened in France, on the clay of Roland-Garros. To do this, it is necessary to return to May 26, 2011, when the young Frenchwoman, then aged 17 and ranked 188th in the world, faced the Russian Maria Sharapova, head of 7, in the second round.

In front of her audience, Caroline Garcia amazed the world of tennis and made her opponent tremble by leading 6-3, 4-1, before cracking and bowing in three sets. But his performance had not gone unnoticed. So much so that his game had impressed a certain Andy Murray, member of the fantastic 4 with Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

After the meeting, the Scottish had written an glowing message towards Caroline Garcia on her social networks: “The girl who plays against Maria Sharapova will be n ° 1 world one day”. If the Russian was more reluctant on this assertion, she had still recognized the talent of the French. “But for sure, it is on the ascending phase. The match could easily have changed on the other side today,” said Maria Sharapova.

2016 and 2022: its two double coronations in Roland-Garros

In 2016, once again on Parisian clay, Caroline Garcia made the tricolor supporters happy, alongside Kristina Mladenovic, her teammate and friend. Double associate during the French internationals, the French pair found Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina in the Porte d’Auteuil final. Again, facing Russians. While the French public has been waiting for this for almost 50 years, Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic settled the bet by becoming the first 100% tricolor pair to win Roland-Garros in double since 1971 after their three sets (6-3, 2-6, 6-4). What propel Caroline Garcia in second place in doubles.

And the spectators of the French internationals will not need to wait a very long time to see a new coronation of this kind. In 2022, the French pair doubled the bet with a new double coronation in Roland-Garros. Always associated with Kristina Mladenovic, Caroline Garcia raised her second Grand Chelem Porte d’Auteuil by winning against Coco Gauff-Jessica Pegula (2-6, 6-3, 6-2). The start of an end of the year in apotheosis for the young retiree.

2017: Caroline Garcia realizes double in China by winning the WTA 1000 from Wuhan and Beijing

Caroline Garcia finished 2017 in the best way and thus integrated the world’s top 8 for the first time. At the end of September that year, the Frenchwoman had simply won the first big title of her career by winning during the WTA 1000 in Wuhan, China. In the final, the Lyonnaise found Australian Ashleigh Barty, future world n ° 1, a match won in three sets (6-7, 7-6, 6-2). What inspire him for the future.

Less than ten days later, Caroline Garcia did this, still in China, during the WTA 1000 in Beijing. To win this new title, the Frenchman had dominated the world n ° 1 at the time, Simona Halep. A final won in two sets (6-4, 7-6), allowing it to reach 8th place in the world in early November 2017, a first for a Frenchwoman from Marion Bartoli.

2019: title heroine in Fed Cup

In 2019, Caroline Garcia was one of the crafts of the surprise victory of the French team in Fed Cup against Australia, on the land of the world n ° 1, Ashleigh Barty, and her teammates. While the Frenchman had been dryly beaten in simple by Barty (0-6, 0-6), the Lyonnaise had taken her revenge in double by forming again the tricolor victorious pair in Roland-Garros (2016) with Kristina Mladenovic. The duo came to the end of Ashleigh Barty and Samantha Stosur (6-4, 6-3), offering France the decisive point (3-2) and thus the final victory. The third coronation for the Blue after 1997 and 2003.

2022: the coronation in the masters, more beautiful trophy in his career

Caroline Garcia will remember this end of 2022 for a long time. While she had won double at Roland-Garros with Kristina Mladenovic, she then raised in the semi-finals of the US Open 2022, beaten by the Tunisian Ons Jabeur (1-6, 3-6), after winning the WTA 1000 in Cincinnati. After the great American home, the Frenchwoman won four titles, including the WTA finals in November, her most prestigious trophy proposing her to fourth place in the world, her best ranking.

In Fort Worth, in the United States, Caroline Garcia had folded the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka (7-6, 6-4) by being imperial in the service. But throughout the tournament, the Lyonnaise had also outclassed Coco Gauff, Daria Kasatkina and Maria Sakkari. Before her, at the level of the French, only Amélie Mauresmo in 2005 had achieved such a performance in this tournament. A feat therefore for Caroline Garcia.

And as a symbol, it was in the United States, where she won the most beautiful victory of her career, that the Frenchman said goodbye to the WTA circuit. In front of New York spectators, Caroline Garcia greeted her audience one last time before receiving great attention from the American tournament. The latter sent him a framework as a tribute, enough to greet his career.

At 31, Caroline Garcia therefore leaves the Professional Circuit La Tête High, with eleven single titles and two coronations at Roland-Garros in doubles. France will long remember its name.