VIENNA/INNSBRUCK, January 18, 2019

Andreas Haider-Maurer announced his retirement from professional tennis. The 31-year-old Austrian has suffered from a heel injury since October 2015 and had to undergo surgery in July 2016. Haider-Maurer returned to the courts in 2017 but has struggled with pain in his back, which led to the decision to hang up his racket.

“I have not touched a racket for a year because of the injury and was away from the tour for almost two years. Lately, my back has caused too many problems that I spent almost more time on therapy than on the court. There were always some matches in which I played well but my body didn’t allow me to do so for two consecutive matches. That makes it also difficult in a mental way. There is a lot of melancholy about having to retire at the age of 31. I am convinced that I would have had some more good years if I had been fit,” Haider-Maurer stated in a press release.

The Zwettl native, who lives in Innsbruck, reached a career high World No. 47 in April 2015 and clinched nine ATP Challenger. His latest triumph came in Meerbusch 2015.

“The plans for my own tennis academy, in which I would like to pass on my experience to the next generation in particular, are already very advanced. As a location, I have Tyrol in mind,” Haider-Maurer revealed.