CINCINNATI, Ohio—Caroline Garcia kicked off the last chapter of her tennis career at a tournament that holds plenty of special memories.

“It was a week that meant a lot for me in my season in 2022,” the former world No. 4 said after rallying to defeat Sonay Kartal, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 in the first round of the Cincinnati Open.

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Garcia won the tournament as a qualifier that year, riding that momentum into her first Grand Slam semifinal at the following month’s US Open and ending the year by lifting the trophy at the WTA Finals.

The Frenchwoman plans to play her final tournament in New York, having announced at the beginning of the year that 2025 would be her final season.

“I’m glad I was able to play a bit this year,” said Garcia, who has been off the court since an emotional exit from Roland Garros. “Obviously, my body didn’t help so much, so I didn’t play as much as I wanted at the beginning. But it looks like I’ll be able to finish my career as healthy as I can at this moment, and be able to play.”

In between, Garcia wed longtime partner Borja Duran, with whom she co-hosts a popular tennis podcast, *The Tennis Insider Club*.

Hopefully, this new chapter is bringing me way more joy and light in my life.Caroline Garcia

“It was such a special day, obviously,” Garcia said, smiling at Duran from the dais during her post-match press conference. “It was even better than in our own dreams. We did it our way and we were very happy to have all of our friends and family there to celebrate our special day with us.”

Joined by friends, family, and fellow players like Alizé Cornet, Diane Parry, and Clara Burel, the French Garcia and Spanish Duran tied the knot at La Torre Del Remei, a scenic venue appropriately located on the border of France and Spain.

“A lot of people will say it’s very special, but it is very special! For a couple of days after, we were very emotional, recalling and remembering different memories. It really meant a lot.”

Still just 31 years old, Garcia could join the many WTA players competing well into their 30s—or, in the case of one Venus Williams, into their 40s—but the two-time Grand Slam doubles champion, who was famously scouted by Andy Murray as a teenager in 2011, has no regrets about her decision, eager to fly into the next phase of her life.

“Some people don’t understand and they say, ‘Oh, but you are young,’ and everything, but I’ve been there for a long time. I got ups and downs, I’ve been through tough moments, both level-wise and result-wise, and also how I was as a person and how much I suffered.

“I don’t want to just play tennis just to play tennis. I’ve been at the top and what it takes to be at the top again, I don’t have the strength and I don’t know if it’s motivation but it’s just like, I cannot do it anymore. And that’s fine. At one moment, you have to take another way and open another chapter of your life. Hopefully, this new chapter is bringing me way more joy and light in my life.”

In the meantime, Garcia will continue writing her final tennis stories on the court this week in Cincinnati, drawing No. 11 seed Karolina Muchova in the second round.