18 Nov 2010

Moya retires from tennis

1:07 pm on 18 November 2010

The former world number one Carlos Moya fought back tears as he formally announced his retirement from tennis at the age of 34 due to a recurring foot injury.

At a news conference in Madrid attended by family, friends and former players, including Manolo Santana and Albert Costa, the 1998 French Open champion said he would play one more event, in Seville in December, before ending his 15-year career.

He says the foot injury had plagued him for several years and he had been unable to shake it off despite consulting a host of different doctors.

Moya, a right-hander unlike his friend and current number one Rafa Nadal, who is also from Majorca, won the first of 20 career titles on his favoured clay in Buenos Aires in 1995.

In March 1999 he became the first Spaniard to rise to number one since the ATP rankings were introduced in 1973 and held the spot for two weeks.