Mandy Minella playing at the BGL BNP Paribas Luxembourg Open in 2019; Credit: Jan McIntyre

At the weekend, Luxembourg professional tennis player Mandy Minella announced her retirement from the professional tennis circuit with a message on social media.

She posted: "Dear Tennis, It‘s time to say goodbye. See you one last time in @Wimbledon #luxembourgletsmakeithappen".

While the Wimbledon tournament proper is from 27 June to 7 July, the qualification rounds start today, Monday 20 June 2022.

36 year-old Mandy Minella hails from Esch-sur-Alzette and made her debut on the WTA tour in 2001. She took a break from the circuit in 2017 to start a family, returning to the professional tour before taking another break to have her second child in late 2020. Now her decision to hang up her racket is final.

Her career highlights include reaching #66 in the world singles rankings in September 2012 (she is currently ranked #260) and #47 in the world doubles rankings in April 2013 (she is currently ranked #341).

Injuries have affected her ability to play in the big tournaments as of late, including both the Australian Open and French Open this year.

In 2019, she won one singles and one doubles title on the ITF Circuit; in 2018, she came second at Gstaad and won four singles titles on the ITF Circuit; in 2016, she won the WTA 125K Series title in singles and doubles and she also won one singles and one doubles title on the ITF Circuit; in 2015, she won one WTA 125K Series doubles title and she won one singles and two doubles titles on the ITF Circuit; in 2014, she won one singles title on the ITF Circuit; in 2012, she reached the 3rd round at the US Open and she won one doubles title on the ITF Circuit; in 2010, she reached the 3rd round at the US Open and she won two singles titles and one doubles title on the ITF Circuit. She also won one singles title on the ITF Circuit in each of 2009, 2006, 2005 and 2004 (when she also won two doubles titles on the ITF Circuit).

Mandy Minella also represented Luxembourg on the Federation Cup Team in 2000-11, and also 2016-19.