The Sunday Mail
ZIMBABWEAN tennis ace Cara Black has ruled out retirement despite admitting that touring, with a hyper active two and half year old son in tow, is proving difficult with each passing day.
There has been speculation that the 35-year-old will be calling it a day after almost two decades on the professional circuit, but Black last week disclosed that she will play on. She also expressed keenness in representing Zimbabwe in the Fed Cup if plans to enter a team in 2016 come to fruition. However, Black disclosed that she will be slowing down starting next year.
“I am a little bit uncertain about my future because I have had a very tiring season. I travel with my two-and-half year old son because I want to. He is my first priority as well as my husband. So apart from a busy schedule in the courts it has also been a time of sleepless nights at home.
“As a result of this year’s tiring season, next year I might play a reduced schedule and see how it goes. I might want to expand the family in future,” Black said.
As she heads towards the final chapters of what has been an impressive career, Cara has started imparting her invaluable knowledge to the stars of tomorrow and was impressed with the talent on show at a coaching clinic held at Harare Sports Club last weekend.
“It was fantastic to see the potential and the enthusiasm of the kids. It was such great stuff, exciting to see. Tennis is such a fantastic sport for everyone to be involved in and it is my passion. We have young players who are doing well and so they need to focus on the right techniques and realise how important that is at this stage,” said the mother of one.
Black, who is ranked 4th in the world doubles together with her partner Sania Mirza, described this year as a great and consistent one. “It has been a great year, very consistent. Sania and I have done a good job reaching the quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals at every tournament. We topped it up by winning the World Championships, ending the year in the top four in the world is a great achievement. Sania and I have a good friendship and we struck a good chord. We complement each other. While she has a big forehand, I am at the net picking the ball,” Black said of her 14-month partnership with Mirza. After spending 10 days in the country, Black will return to her home in Melbourne to start preparations for the forthcoming coming season.
