Shelby Rogers has announced that she will retire from professional tennis after competing in the US Open, her home Grand Slam, this month. On Friday, the American revealed that her relentless injury woes have become too challenging to manage in an emotional open letter posted on social media.

Rogers spent six months sidelined after knee surgery last year before returning to the court at the Australian Open in January.

However, the 31-year-old has managed a 5-9 record in 2024, and she has taken the tough decision to walk away from the professional game after her final outing at Flushing Meadows.

“When you start playing a sport as a kid, you never think about the ending. You just practice, have fun, and chase your dreams as hard as you can,” Rogers wrote on Instagram.

“My dream was to be a professional tennis player, and I can forever tell that little girl we did it! The Lord has truly done more with this dream than I could’ve ever asked or imagined (Eph 3:20), and I give Him all the glory and praise.

“Jesus has been my foundation and my anchor through this crazy life on tour. I am forever humbled by the blessings and joys He has gifted me through both the highs and lows.

“There really aren’t enough words for this moment, but I can confidently say that I have pushed my body to its limit. These last couple of years fighting with injuries and surgeries have been challenging.

“I always said that if my heart loves it and my body is healthy I would play this sport forever! But now my body is telling me it’s time.

“This moment comes for every athlete, and as I reflect on my career, I am beyond grateful for the memories, support, lessons, and love over the years.

“Tennis and the people I have met along the way have shaped me into the person I am today and helped me grow in ways I never thought possible. It truly took an incredible team behind the scenes to make my dreams a reality.”

Rogers has never won a WTA singles title but reached three finals and two major quarter-finals. She has earned scalps over seven top-10 opponents and achieved a peak of world No. 30 in 2022.

The South Carolina native enters the 2024 US Open ranked No. 356 and faces No. 6 seed Jessica Pegula in an all-American clash in the first round.

Rogers has enjoyed some fond memories at the New York tournament. In 2020, she reached the last eight, 10 years after making her main draw debut.

In her round-of-16 clash against two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova, Rogers saved four match points to come out on top. She exited at the hands of eventual champion Naomi Osaka.

A year later, with fans back in attendance after the COVID-19 pandemic, she recorded the biggest win of her career by beating then-world No. 1 Ashleigh Barty 6-2 1-6 7-6 in front of an ecstatic home crowd.

She added: “Thank you to each and every one of you that has been a part of my journey, and to the fans that made all of these matches so magical.

“My heart will always love this sport, and I hope I can pass along some inspiration to the next generation of players to dream big and keep growing the beautiful game of tennis.

“I am very much looking forward to this next chapter of my life… but I can’t wait to see y’all in NY for one more US Open!”