Mary Pierce is not considering retiring from tennis

Go ahead and squelch all the rumors on Mary Pierce’s retirement. She is back, playing the sport she loves, and is not planning on hanging up her racquet anytime soon.

I admit the thought did cross my mind several times during the past months if Pierce would be announcing her retirement from tennis as she had not played, prior to yesterday, since February. Her results last year were impressive, to say the least, for the thirty-year old veteran of the women’s game. Two Grand Slam finals, a return to the top five, and two additional titles were added to Pierce’s already extensive career record. She headed into the 2006 season full of ambition and hope for the coming months, but an freak injury in her right foot stopped her in her tracks and left her standing on the sidelines for five months.

She barely edged past Sybille Bammer in her comeback match yesterday at the Acura Classic, but it was more than enough for Pierce to rejoice over. In her post-match press conference she revealed that not only is she back, but she has some unfinished business that she wants to try and take care of before she finally retires from the game she loves.

When her foot injury proved more serious than first thought, Pierce said she never considered retirement.

“The only things I haven’t done are be No. 1, make the final of Wimbledon or win it and I don’t have an Olympic medal,” Pierce said.

“Those are three things I want. They are very lofty goals, but I’ve done everything else.”

(source: LA Times)

If Pierce is talking about hanging around for a shot at an Olympic medal, we can look forward to seeing her on court for another few years at least! Her next match at the Acura Classic will be against Finland’s Emma Laine this afternoon.

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