Even though the press conference he announced was for Wednesday, already on Monday it was clear that Croatian tennis ace Mario Ancic will ending his professional tennis career. The 26-year-old, who in his prime was amongst the world’s top ten, has called it quits and is off to start a career in law
The beginning of the end came when Ancic caught a sever strain of mononucleosis in February 2007 at the age of 23.
Until that point in his career, Ancic had an impressive career. Super Mario reached the Wimbledon semi and quarterfinals and the quarterfinals of the Roland Garros. He won three ATP titles and was ranked the ATP world number 7 in July 2006. Ancic won the Olympic bronze in Athens and the Davis Cup in 2005.
After overcoming mononucleosis, Ancic attempted a comeback and reached the semifinals at the Zagreb ATP as well as in Rotterdam.
Ancic’s last attempt was in 2010 when he suffered a slipped disc in Munich. Faced with either long therapy or surgery, and at least another year away from tennis either way, Ancic decided to call it quits on tennis.
Ancic will turn in his racket and take up law in Zagreb, where he is in his final year of internship.
