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Israeli Peer forced to call time on career
Former world number 11 Shahar Peer, the most successful Israeli woman to play on the WTA Tour, announced her retirement because of injury on Tuesday.
The 29-year-old righthander won five singles titles in 12 years on the WTA Tour and reached her career high ranking in January 2011.
Peer had not played a match on tour since the Abierto Monterrey in February last year, when she lost in the opening round of qualifying.
"I made this decision following a chronic inflammation in my shoulder, that has been lasting for over two years, and prevents me from competing at the high level that I am used to and expect from myself," Peer, 29, wrote on Facebook.
"I look back on this experience with a huge smile, a lot of happiness and satisfaction.
"I am proud of all of my accomplishments as well as the huge honor I was given to represent the state of Israel."
Peer, who turned professional in 2004, became the first Israeli woman to make the quarter-finals of a grand slam, doing so twice in 2007, at the Australian Open and US Open.
In 2008, she became the first Israeli to compete at a WTA tournament in the Arabian Peninsula when she took part in the Qatar Open.
In addition to her successful WTA career, Peer was a Fed Cup stalwart for Israel, playing 76 matches and compiling a 45-31 record, and in 2008 she represented Israel at the Beijing Olympics.
