SHANGHAI, Nov. 14 (UPI) -- Doubles specialist Jonas Bjorkman of Sweden has kept his retirement pledge on the men's Association of Tennis Professionals tour.
The 36-year-old Swede announced retirement plans in July at Wimbledon, and ended his career Thursday when he and teammate Kevin Ullyet of Zimbabwe lost in a tiebreaker to Poland's Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski at the Masters Cup in Shanghai.
"I've been mentally prepared for this because I'm mentally very ready to retire," Bjorkman told the Shanghai Daily. "I've been very fortunate to be able to play for so long. It started as my hobby and I've been able to do it for 17 years, which is great. I'm really looking forward for the next step in life."
He competed in 58 of the last 60 grand slam tournaments, and in retirement, will concentrate on raising his young son and daughter.
"To listen to all the trash talk in the locker rooms will be something that I will miss."
