The past couple of years have seen tennis players taking crucial calls over their careers and in one such instance, Frenchman Gilles Simon have taken a major call on his playing career.

Simon, who made his debut in 2002, has decided to call it quits on his tennis career. The Frenchman announced that he will retire from professional tennis at the end of this year.

Gilles Simon decides to retire from ATP tour at the end of this year

“It was a magical, wonderful and extraordinary adventure. It will stop at the end of the year. A huge THANK YOU to everyone who made it possible. There is no sadness, no regret. Just the will to put everything I have left. On every game, until the end.”

It might not be entirely surprising considering how minimal his appearances have been recently. Simon’s decision comes off after compatriot Jo-Wilfried Tsonga also decided to retire post French Open.

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In a career spanning over two decades, Simon managed to win 14 titles and reached the quarter-finals at the Australian Open and Wimbledon. Also, Gilles Simon was part of team France when they won the 2017 Davis Cup.

Simon managed to earn 15 million USD in prize money

Simon took some time to get used to the tour and his first ATP title came five years after he made his professional debut. While he managed to consistently appear at Grand Slams, he was unable to produce an impact compared to the likes of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Gael Monfils.

A person of outspoken nature, Simon always put forth his thoughts without hesitation and became one of the very few players to ask the right questions. In his two-decade long career, the Frenchman amassed 15 million USD in prize money.

French fans can witness Simon in action at Roland Garros later this month and bid goodbye to a consistent performer who managed to make the most out of his career despite physical limitations.

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