Alison Van Uytvanck, a 30-year-old former quarterfinalist at Roland Garros, has announced her retirement from professional tennis. In 2018, the Belgian rose to a career-high position of No. 37.
Van Uytvanck missed eight months of 2023 because of a back ailment. She has not won a match at the tour level since returning to action in October of last year, but she has three ITF titles and has climbed back to No. 228 in the PIF WTA Rankings.
Van Uytvanck’s last match on the professional circuit ended in a 6-3, 6-3 loss to Julia Middendorf in the Hechingen ITF W75 second round last month; the week prior, she had lost 6-2, 6-2 to Jana Fett in the first round of the Prague Open.
At the age of 15, Van Uytvanck participated in her first professional match in 2009; two years later, she made history by qualifying for the WTA main draw on home soil.
Van Uytvanck wrote on social media: “Making this decision has been incredibly hard. Over the past few weeks, I haven’t felt the same fire it takes to give my all, to fight for every point, and to travel around the world. It was not an easy choice; I have been struggling a lot last year while coming back from a serious injury, both physically and especially mentally.”
Alison Van Uytvanck in 2024
Now the world no.228, the Belgian played her last match on the 1st of August when she capitulated to world no.444 Julia Middendorf 6-3 6-3 in the 2nd round of the W75 Hechingen (draw).
At present, during this year Van Uytvanck has achieved a composed 21-13 record. Van Uytvanck conquered 2 titles in 2024 in the W35 Hammamet and Surbiton. Alison was the finalist in the W75 Altenkirchen.