With the eight-year anniversary of her best career result at a Grand Slam on the horizon, former World No.31 Melanie Oudin announced her retirement from professional tennis with immediate effect on Friday, having struggled with injuries and health concerns since the fateful US Open fortnight.

Now 25, Oudin thrilled the home crowd at Flushing Meadows with a stunning run to the quarterfinals of the US Open in 2009 as a 17-year-old.

Ranked World No.70, Oudin coined a signature phrase of "Believe" as she rolled through the draw with victories over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Elena Dementieva, Maria Sharapova, Nadia Petrova - the last three from a set down on Arthur Ashe Stadium - before falling to eventual runner-up Caroline Wozniacki. 

The seeds of her stunning New York run were sown at the third Grand Slam of 2009, as she defeated No.29 seed Sybille Bammer, Yaroslava Shvedova and then-World No.6 Jelena Jankovic en route to the fourth round at Wimbledon.

"My dream was always to play professional tennis at places like the US Open with the best in the world. I have been lucky enough to live my dream for the last nine years since I turned pro in 2008," Oudin wrote on social media on Friday.

"Unfortunately, since the end of 2012, I have been struck with numerous health issues and injuries. I would work so hard to come back after being out, and then something else would happen. It has definitely taken a toll on me mentally and physically over the last five years or so.

"Competing with the best in the world requires your absolute best and without being 100% mentally and physically it is very difficult."

In 2011, Oudin won the US Open mixed doubles title alongside Jack Sock and later won her lone WTA title on the lawns of the Aegon Classic in Birmingham in 2012.

In the years since her breakthrough, Oudin struggled with several injuries and health issues - most notably, rhabdomyolysis, which causes muscle weakness, fatigue and soreness, and supraventricular tachycardia, a type of heart arrhythmia.

"Tennis has given me so much and I will always be grateful. It wasn't exactly the entire career I had dreamed of, but in life things don't always go as planned," Oudin said. "I fell in love with the game of tennis when I was seven years old and it will always have a special place in my heart.

"I am sad to leave the sport I know and love, but I am very optimistic about what the future holds for me."