Former world No. 16 Philipp Kohlschreiber has announced he is planning to retire after Wimbledon.
Kohlschreiber, 38, is now ranked outside the top-200 and didn’t make the main draw cut for Wimbledon.
On Monday, Kohlshcreiber made a first step toward making the Wimbledon main draw as he defeated Gregoire Barrere 6-2 6-2 to progress into the qualifying second round.
Kohlschreiber, who made his Wimbledon debut in 2005, is playing a Wimbledon qualifying for the first time in his career.
“Funny story. This is my first time here in Roehampton. I had a great and wonderful career. This is going to be my last tournament. I will stop after Wimbledon 2022. So, I am happy that I have another match here and maybe I will make it to the main draw,” Kohlschreiber said in his post-match interview, as quoted on Tennis TourTalk.
Kohlschreiber just wants to enjoy his final tournament
“I don’t really have a plan (for his post-tennis career),” Kohlschreiber said. “I just wanna finish and I think it’s kind of a special moment. I am more a quite person. I didn’t want to say that this is my last season. A few people already know that this is going to be my last tournament and I just try to enjoy every match. It’s been a very long journey. I had great memories, especially here with the biggest success in a Grand Slam.”
In the Wimbledon qualifying second round, Kohlschreiber will take on Mikhail Kukushkin.
Kohlschreiber has featured in every Wimbledon main draw since 2005.
In 2012, Kohlschreiber achieved his best-ever Wimbledon result, when he reached the quarterfinal before losing to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Earlier this year, Kohlschreiber hinted he is playing his final season on the Tour.
Kohlschreiber has enjoyed a very solid career and he would certainly love to say goodbye to tennis by competing in a Wimbledon main draw for one final time.