Guido Pella has announced his retirement from professional tennis after an impressive career. The 33-year-old announced the news in a statement shared on social media.
"With a huge mix of feelings and a great relief I come to say that I decided to put an end to my career as a professional tennis player. It was an amazing journey, with a lot of nice things that allowed me to live moments that not everyone can and for that I will be eternally grateful," he wrote on Instagram, originally in Spanish.
The Argentinian player also thanked his family and team for helping him throughout his incredible journey in the sport.
"I want to thank my family that has always been with me and from the first moment they knew my last tournament was going to be the US Open and they held me back to make it as a whole as possible. Second place to my work team who were like a second family throughout my career, especially Fabi, Andrés, Titan and Daniel who were with me from the first to the last day," he continued.
A reflection on Pella's career
Pella reached the top 20 in the
ATP Ranking back in 2019, the same year that saw him win his first and only ATP title. After falling short in four finals on the Tour, Pella ousted Chilean player Christian Garin in straight sets 7-5, 6-3 to lift the trophy at the Brasil Open. Along the way, he also defeated the likes of Roberto Carballes Baena and Laslo Djere.
Pella also achieved glory at the ATP
Davis Cup in 2016 where he was part of the winning team, and he made sure to give his teammates over the years a special mention in his retirement announcement.
"I also want to thank my circuit friends (you know who you are) and my Davis cup teammates who made me live unforgettable moments. I hope I returned all the love they gave me in so many series and tournaments," he wrote.
Pella also reached the quarter-finals of Wimbledon in 2019, which was his deepest run at a Grand Slam. He was the twenty-sixth seed at the tournament and moved past fifteenth seed and 2016 runner-up Milos Raonic to make the last eight - where he was defeated by Roberto Bautista Agut.
In February 2020, Pella announced that he would be taking an indefinite break from the sport after being diagnosed with Morton's neuroma. Although he came back six months later at the 2020 US Open, he went on to miss the entirety of the 2022 season before returning at the 2023 Australian Open using his protected ranking. His last competition was at this year's US Open, where he crashed out in the first round against Lloyd Harris.