Australian Open 2023: Sam Stosur ready for post-playing tennis career after retirement

Sam Stosur may be retiring after the Aus Open, but don’t expect her to just sail off into the sunset. The former World No.4 is not done with tennis just yet.

Sam Stosur may be retiring from playing tennis, but we haven’t seen the last of her just yet. Picture: Getty Images.

Sam Stosur might be retiring but don’t expect her to sail off into the sunset, with the Aussie tennis stalwart set to help usher in the next generation with a post-career role.

Stosur, the 2011 US Open winner, announced her retirement Saturday night, closing the curtain on a decades-long career that began in 1999.

Speaking on Sunday, the 38-year-old said she was keen to keep working in the sport “in some capacity”, as Tennis Australia chief executive Craig Tiley insisted it would not be the last time she faced the press.

“I definitely want to stay in tennis. It's been my whole life. I couldn’t imagine not coming into the National Tennis Centre in a month’s time, or something like that,” Stosur said.

“I still would love to be involved in some capacity. (We’ve) still got to work out exactly what that is going to be.

“I'm too passionate about it, too invested in what all the other players are doing to just walk away.”

Sam Stosur may be retiring from playing tennis, but we haven’t seen the last of her just yet. Picture: Getty Images.

Stosur ends her playing career at a delicate time for women’s Australian tennis, which had already lost its superstar Ash Barty to retirement.

On Saturday, it lost its next bright hope Ajla Tomljanovic to injury, with the Croatian-born 29-year-old withdrawing from the tournament with a knee issue.

Ever-optimistic, Stosur said it would only take one of Australia’s young female competitors to crack the top 100 before the rest followed.

“They're great people, really good players who are trying to strive to become the next group that can really solidify their spot in the top hundred,” Stosur said of Australia’s young generation.

It’s a delicate time for women’s tennis in Australia, following the retirement of Ash Barty and withdrawal of Ajla Tomljanovic. Picture: Josie Hayden

“I'm sure they’re going to get there one day. They just need to get over that next little hurdle. All of them have kind of been between 100, 130, got close, dropped out.

“I do think success drives success. It's only going to take one to maybe get through that next spot and we’ll see more coming through.”

Unsurprisingly, Stosur said the highlight of her own career was that US Open triumph, when she famously beat Serena Williams in straight sets.

“That is obviously the pinnacle of what any player wants to do, is win a Grand Slam,” she said.

“That was certainly a dream of mine to achieve that, and I did. That‘s a moment I’ll never forget.”

Tiley paid tribute Stosur in the media room at Melbourne Park, presenting her with a bouquet of flowers and describing her as “a shining light to every single athlete or coach”.

Originally published as Australian Open 2023: Sam Stosur ready for post-playing tennis career after retirement