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fame and fortune.
Black was at the weekend reported to have indicated to her friends that she would hang up her racket after playing at the on-going Wimbledon Championships in London.
TennisForum.com, an overseas-based tennis website, said Black, a doubles specialist, was (probably) playing in her last major international event at the 2011 Wimbledon Championships at the All England Club. The website quoted a number of players and fans as saying that Black was featuring in her last tournament at Wimbledon.
And this would bring to an end the 32-year-old’s illustrious career that started in January 1998 when she turned professional and has seen her bagging 63 doubles and seven singles titles.
Cara has won all four Grand Slam mixed doubles titles and three of the four Grand Slam titles in women’s doubles, bringing her a total of US$6 494 115 in career prize money.
Black celebrated her 32nd birthday on February 17 this year and she told The Herald in March that although she was reaching the twilight of her career, she had not yet put a time frame on her retirement from tennis.
Black spent most of the opening five months of the 2011 season on the sidelines as she was recuperating from a knee operation that she underwent in Australia in November last year.
After the operation, Black featured in the first Grand Slam of the 2011 season – the Australian Open – in Melbourne in January. And after playing at the Australian Open, Black decided to take a “little bit of time off” from tennis and was inactive for close to five months.
In fact, she revealed that playing at this year’s Australian Open aggravated her knee injury and this forced her to take a break from playing tennis.
But Black returned on the international tennis scene during the grasscourt season in England last month, leading up to the Wimbledon Championships.
Last Thursday she featured in the women’s singles first round with Israel’s Shahar Peer and they faced Britons Sarah Borwell and Melanie South who they beat in straight sets 6-3, 6-3.
But on the eve of that match, on Wednesday last week, Arina Rodionova, sister of Anastasia Rodionova who partnered Black in the women’s doubles for most of last year when she parted ways with her longtime doubles partner American Liezel Huber, told TennisForum.com in a Twitter message that the Zimbabwean player was playing in her last tournament at the on-going Wimbledon tournament in London. “By the way come to watch Cara Black play tomorrow at 12 court 5. will tell u a secret but it might be her last tournament. Don’t miss out!!” Arina Rodionova said in her Twitter message as Black and Peer were preparing to feature in the women’s doubles first round the following day.
The news of her impending retirement prompted one tennis fan to write to TennisForum.com, at the weekend, saying: “It would be a real shame but not surprising given she’s missed most of the season. I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s pregnant.
“Is a bit unfair to blame this on (Liezel) Huber. Cara still had good results after the break-up including (reaching the) USO SF (US Open semi-finals). Had she found a regular partner like (Lisa) Raymond – I find it impossible to believe they wouldn’t have talked about it) there is no reason why she wouldn’t still be top 10 or No. 1.
“It’s now becoming clearer that it was probably her own choice to not get caught up in a full-time partnership, and I think we’ll found out why if she does retire.
“Anyway, she and Peer won their first round 6-3, 6-3 so it’s all good.”
A number of other tennis fans from around the world paid tribute to Black for her exploits on the courts, especially as a doubles player.
One fan wrote: “That’s a real shame. She’s one of, if (not), the best doubles players of all time. It’s a shame she never had a doubles partner for the Olympics. It’s too bad mixed (doubles) wasn’t around the past few Olympics as she would have had a great chance at a medal with her brothers (Byron and Wayne).”
Another fan added: “She might as well (retire). She’s no longer fit enough (to play),” while another one said: “31 (years of age) for a doubles player is like 26 for singles. It would be a real shame. I love watching her play.”
“She has been around for about 13 years. She’s had a great doubles career,” commented another fan of Black on TennisForum.com. And another fan wrote: “Poor thing. (Liezel) Huber ruined her career.” Meanwhile, Black and Peer reached the third round of the women’s doubles at Wimbledon yesterday.
The 14th seeded pair of Black and Peer beat Americans Raquel Kops-Jones and Abigail Spears in straight sets 6-2, 6-3 in their second round tie. Black and Peer will meet second seeds Kveta Peschke of the Czech Republic and Slovenia’s Katarina Srebotnik. Black is also playing in the mixed doubles at Wimbledon with India’s Leander Paes.Black and Paes are the defending champions in the mixed doubles at Wimbledon where they seeded 14th this year and were expected to play Dutchman Rogier Wassen and Alicja Rosolska of Poland in the second round late last night.
But it is news of Black’s impending retirement that should close another golden chapter for local tennis and leave it poorer given that Zimbabwe has been struggling to produce a star to fill in her shoes.