Milos Raonic announces his retirement from tennis: "The time has come"

Canadian trailblazer Milos Raonic, the first man from his country to reach a Grand Slam singles final and a former world No. 3, announced his retirement from professional tennis in an emotional social media post on Sunday.

Raonic has not competed in over a year, with 2024 marking the end of a short-lived year-long comeback following the foot and Achilles tendon problems that began in 2021 and sidelined him from more than two full seasons.

The 35-year-old former Wimbledon finalist wrote Sunday on social media that "the time has come" to move on from his playing career.

"This is a moment you know will come one day, but somehow you never feel ready for it," he wrote. "This is as ready as I ever will be. Tennis has been my love and obsession for most of my life."

The eight-time ATP singles champion is the highest-ranked Canadian tennis player in singles in history, and was a runner-up to Andy Murray at the All-England Club 10 years ago. But the big-serving Thornhill, Ontario native was slowed after his 2016 peak by various injuries, including to his hip, back, leg, knee and shoulder.

The last of which proved to be the injury that ended his career. Raonic last competed at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, where he represented Canada in both singles and doubles.

"I have been the luckiest person to get to live out and fulfill my dreams," he continued. "I got to show up every day and focus on just getting better, seeing where that will take me, and playing a game I was introduced to at 8 years old by complete luck. Somehow, this became my entire obsession and childhood, and then became my profession and life."

Raonic says that he'll be as laser-focused in his next chapter, as he has no plans of "slowing down" in his post-tennis life.

"There is so much more life to live, and I am motivated and hungry as I was in 2011, when I broke through on tour," he added.