The three-time Grand Slam winner Angelique Kerber has announced she will retire from tennis after playing at the Olympic Games in Paris.

The 36-year-old German was a silver medallist at the Rio Games in 2016 as she dominated women’s tennis that year, winning the US Open and Australian Open and rising to world No 1 in the women’s rankings.

“The finish line,” Kerber wrote on social media. “Before the Olympics begin, I can already say that I will never forget Paris 2024, because it will be my last professional tournament as a tennis player. And whereas this might actually be the right decision, it will never feel that way. Simply because I love the sport with all my heart and I’m thankful for the memories and opportunities it has given me.

“When I arrived at the Olympics in Rio, I had just won my first Grand Slam title in Australia at the beginning of the year. My silver medal run was embedded in a rush of emotions that led to my second Grand Slam title in New York and the top of the rankings.

“And now: Paris 2024 will mark the finish line of the most incredible journey I could have ever dreamed of growing up with a racket in my hand. There are many more things I want to say and people to thank, which I will do once I completed my last match…but for now, I will take the time and soak up every second of this final episode on court. Thank you all for your support — it means the world to me.”

She took time out from the sport after Wimbledon in 2022 and gave birth to a daughter Liana in February 2023. Kerber made her return at the start of 2024 and her best runs this year came at Indian Wells, where she lost in the round of 16 to fellow tennis mom Caroline Wozniacki, and the Rome Open, where she fell at the same stage to the world No 1 Iga Swiatek.

Kerber finishes her career with 14 WTA titles and having spent 34 weeks at the top of the world rankings. She is the only active women’s player to have won three of the four Grand Slam tournaments and over the course of her career she earned more than $30million in prize money.

Although many viewed Kerber as a defensive baseline-type player, she was an extremely effective counter-puncher and would win points with powerful down-the-line forehands, often hit from an unorthodox squatting position. She was much more than just a player who wore her opponents down by staying in rallies.

The Olympic tennis tournaments run from July 27 to August 4. Kerber will face world No 102 Naomi Osaka in the first round on Saturday.

(Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)