Former British junior Tanysha Dissanayake, who played against Emma Raducanu, retires aged 21 due to long Covid

Former British junior Tanysha Dissanayake has retired from tennis at the age of 21 due to the effects of long Covid, saying she feels “a million years away” from being able to play again. Dissanayake played alongside Emma Raducanu at a third-tier tournament in Sunderland before the Covid-19 pandemic struck in March 2020. Ad She was close to breaking into the top 1,000 in the world rankings at the time but did not compete again for another year.

ATP AntwerpMurray pulls out of European Open in bid to focus on strong finish to season6 HOURS AGO On her return to action in 2021 she tested positive for Covid-19 following three weeks of competing in Greece and has been unable to play since. Her last practice was in October 2021 and she has now announced her retirement. «It's been a crazy journey and I’d do it all again if I could but after over a year of being unwell, it is time to move on,» she wrote on Instagram.

«This was the hardest decision I’ve had to make and even harder to accept. I don’t know a life without tennis in it but this sport has taught me so much and I know that great things are in store.» Dissanayake, whose idol was former world No. 1 Maria Sharapova, said as a junior she had hoped to reach the top 20 in the world and play at all four Grand Slams.

Swiatek hits fresh landmarks in title run Murray pulls out of European Open to focus on final two events But now she says she doesn't think she will «ever be fit enough» to return to the court as she has been largely been housebound for the last year. “Deep down I knew that it would be nearly impossible to get back earlier on this year, but I kind of just wanted to hold on a little longer,” she told the Times. “I just didn’t want to accept that my career was ending