PARIS, France - Former WTA World No.40 Pauline Parmentier has played her final match, having exited the Roland Garros doubles competition along with Alizé Cornet.
A four-time winner on the WTA Tour, the 34-year-old's challenge in the singles draw ended on Tuesday as she lost, 6-2, 6-3 to Veronika Kudermetova.
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She admitted to regret that she was unable to play out the final moments of her professional career in front of her local fans.
“I would’ve liked to have had a good time with the spectators,” she said after the Kudermetova loss. “But my relatives were there very close to me and I still had a nice handful in the stands. Each time I looked at them, I felt good, I didn’t need much more.”
The Russian, meanwhile, paid tribute to her rival via Instagram, posting: "It was a pleasure and an honor to have shared the court with you for your last match. I have always appreciated your smile and kindness, I wish you all the best in the next chapter of your life, à bientôt Pauline!
Reflecting upon a highlight of her career, the Frenchwoman picked the 2019 Fed Cup success in Australia.
“The French squad has always made me dream, so being able to pick up the trophy at the end of my career, in additional to having really played a role with my victory against Romania in the semi-finals, this campaign will standout in my career,” she said.
“I’ve had lots of messages from the girls. I’ve not had time to look at them yet. I bumped into them all afternoon and they had nice things to say.
“There were several of them in the stands, Emilie Loit, Amélie Mauresmo, Nathalie Dechy and Chloé Paquet.”
Parmentier, meanwhile, is looking forward to her next adventures.
“I’m very happy to move on, to have a new start on a new life. I was at the end of my tennis adventure,” she said.
“I’m sure I quit at the right time and I can’t wait to see what the future holds. I can’t wait to build something else.
“I’m very happy with my career. It looks like me, with its ups and downs, but I’m proud of everything I’ve done.
“If at 11, when I left my parents’ house, I had been told that I would finish aged 34 at Roland Garros with this career, I would have signed for it immediately.
“I experienced beautiful emotions and I met fabulous people.
“There were difficult times, moments of doubt, but I only remember that happiness and positive memories from all these years.”
Parmentier retires with a 4-0 record in WTA Tour finals, having won in Tashkent (2007), Bad Gastein (2008), Istanbul (2018) and finally in Quebec in 2018.
