MELBOURNE, Australia -- 2011 US Open champion Samantha Stosur announced she will retire after competing for the last time at the 2023 Australian Open. In the final event of her career, the Former World No.4 is set to play doubles with Alizé Cornet. 

"It was always going to be a hard decision whenever it did come to this point," Stosur told reporters at Melbourne Park on Sunday. "Like I said last year when I stopped playing singles, I always wanted to finish here in Australia. Last year I wasn't ready to finish everything.

"It just felt right to call it a day here, my home Grand Slam where obviously I have huge support and friends and family, lots of people here. It's certainly been a tough decision, but I think it was the right one." 

Stosur made her Australian Open debut over 20 years ago in 2002, and proceeded to build her incredible career across both singles and doubles. After making her first major singles final at Roland Garros in 2010, the affable Aussie reached the pinacle of her career a year later at the US Open. 

Facing Serena Williams in the final, Stosur defeated the American great 6-2, 6-3 to become the first Australian woman to win a major since Evonne Goolagong Cawley at 1980 Wimbledon. Stosur reached a career-high No.4 and finished her singles career with nine titles. 

Before her singles breakthrough, Stosur was already accomplished on the doubles court, having reached World No.1 in 2006. Along with Lisa Raymond, Stosur won her first two doubles majors at the 2005 US Open and 2006 French Open. In recent years, she added two more major titles to her haul with Zhang Shuai, winning 2019 Australian Open and 2021 US Open. 

"I didn't know what I could do. I dreamt what I would like to do. I certainly achieved that and more."

Looking back on her career, the 38-year-old Queenslander said her dreams were fulfilled and she had no regrets. 

"I didn't know what I could do," Stosur said. "I dreamt what I would like to do. I certainly achieved that and more.

"One thing I'm very proud of is the fact that I know I did everything possible to do what I did. I think I'm happy with the way I've carried myself on court. It's always been important to me to be how I was, compete hard.

"If you get beat, you get beat. Shake hands and try harder the next day. Every win or loss got me to where I was.
 
"I certainly achieved way more than what I could have ever imagined. So I can walk away being very proud."

Stosur with the US Open trophy in 2011 (Getty)

Stosur may be hanging up her competitive frames but she is confident she will remain involved in the sport in some capacity. 

"I definitely want to stay in tennis. It's been my whole life. I couldn't imagine not coming into the NTC in a month's time or something like that.

"I'm too passionate about it, too invested in what all the other players are doing to just walk away."

Stosur and Cornet will face 11th seeds Chan Hao-Ching and Yang Zhaozhuan in the first round.

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