Chela retires from tennis

4 December 2012 09:13

Argentine tennis player Juan Ignacio Chela has announced his retirement from the sport with immediate effect.

A six-time winner on the ATP Tour, Chela achieved a career-high ranking of 15 in August 2004 having reached the French Open quarter-finals in the same year.

All of his titles, including three doubles crowns, came on clay, while he also reached the last eight at Rolland Garros in 2011.

Chela took to Twitter to make the announcement.

"After many years it was time to move to another stage in my life, I retire from professional tennis," he wrote in Spanish.

The 33-year-old struggled for form this season and recorded his last victory in Acapulco in February.

Chela played the last match of his 14-year career at Wimbledon in June, losing a five-set thriller to Slovakia's Martin Klizan in the first round.