Who Knew? Taylor Dent Retired in November

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  • EaglesPhan36
    SBR Aristocracy
    • 12-06-06
    • 71662

    #1
    Who Knew? Taylor Dent Retired in November
    I had no clue. Saw it today while perusing CNNSI.com and their tennis mailbag.

    With a dashing serve-and-volley style, Taylor Dent made a living attacking the net. But after 12 grueling years and three back surgeries, he's calling it a career.


    For nearly a full year, 2007, Taylor Dent was largely confined to his bed; he wore a three-quarter body cast for seven months following spinal fusion surgery that was supposed to end his tennis career.

    "I had mentally retired," Dent said Monday by phone from Kansas City. "I was told that if I had the back surgeries, my tennis career was over. There were times when it looked impossible, but I just wasn't willing to budge from coming back."


    Dent, despite three back surgeries, won four titles in his 12-year ATP career.

    Dent played professional tennis for a dozen years before announcing his retirement on Monday at the age of 29. And although he won four ATP titles, was ranked as high as No. 21, played for the U.S. Davis Cup team and even for an Olympic bronze medal (Athens, 2004), his proudest accomplishment is returning from three back surgeries and vaulting more than 800 spots in the rankings, back into the top 100 in 2009.



    The affable Californian went 12-15 in ATP matches that year, and this year he was 12-19 and ranked No. 85 -- still a serviceable professional. Although injuries may have been a factor in Elena Dementieva's recent retirement, Dent said he was perfectly healthy. Ironically, he was so healthy this summer that he had to take time off after the U.S. Open -- because his body wasn't used to playing so many matches.



    Dent played his final match last week in a Challenger in Charlottesville, Va., losing in the second round to Rik De Voest, 6-4, 7-6 (6), and made the decision shortly thereafter.



    Dent and his wife, Jennifer, a former WTA pro, had set aside the end of this year's tennis schedule as the time to discuss the future.



    "Looking back, I achieved so much," Dent said. "To recover from these injuries and play against the best players in the world, well, that was my goal and I accomplished it. The tour is not an easy life, it's grueling. I just felt like 'Job well done.' I'm excited to pursue those things in the tennis field that playing on the tour didn't allow me to."



    Which could include tennis commentary and, perhaps, coaching. Beyond that, Dent said, he had nothing specific lined up. He will also relish the thought of spending more time with Jennifer and their 10-month-old son, Declan.



    After 12 seasons, Taylor Dent retired from tennis. He credits his fans and strong supporting cast for his success.






    Beyond his comeback, Dent's legacy will be his dashing serve-and-volley style. He was taken with the fast-forward approach watching his father, Phil, a successful Australian pro, and, later, Pete Sampras. At 6-foot-2, 195 pounds, Dent was forever moving to net -- at a time when evolving racket technology allowed the elite pros to hit winners from the comfort of the baseline.



    "It's my personality," said Dent, who sports tattoos of the American and Australian flags on his right shoulder. "I like to be aggressive, attack and force the action. I don't like to hang back. That was the way I was most effective."



    When he won his first ATP title, in 2002 in Newport, he and Phil (his first coach on the ATP Tour) became the first father-son duo to capture an ATP tournament in the Open era.



    "Anytime you can put your name in the record book, it's a cool feeling," Dent said. "I wish I could have extended our legacy in other ways, but some day I can tell Declan that we were the first ones to do that."

    The Challenger Level has lost a "star"
  • Goat Milk
    BARRELED IN @ SBR!
    • 03-24-10
    • 25850

    #2
    was never a fan lol
    Cause Sleep is the Cousin of Death
    Comment
    • noober
      SBR MVP
      • 10-23-09
      • 2012

      #3
      there was a big article about it on atptennis.com
      Comment
      • shari91
        BARRELED IN @ SBR!
        • 02-23-10
        • 32661

        #4
        Quite sad to see him go. He's made me some good money the past two years either backing or fading him.
        Comment
        • HeeeHAWWWW
          SBR Hall of Famer
          • 06-13-08
          • 5487

          #5
          Shame, he had horrific injury problems. Couldn't really control his fitness on his comeback.
          Comment
          • jojo85
            SBR Sharp
            • 03-22-10
            • 277

            #6
            oh well, good for him I guess
            Comment
            • ha1ogen
              SBR Wise Guy
              • 06-16-10
              • 528

              #7
              ya read this a while back, lots of retirements recently, moya, dementieva, dent
              Comment
              • beefcake
                SBR Posting Legend
                • 11-26-09
                • 14029

                #8
                The dough boy retired?
                Comment
                • TomaCro
                  SBR Sharp
                  • 04-22-10
                  • 255

                  #9
                  i did not know,, i loved wathcing him when he played on his best

                  fantastic volleyshots
                  Comment
                  • yisman
                    SBR Aristocracy
                    • 09-01-08
                    • 75682

                    #10
                    I knew, but only because I do ESPN's trivia quizzes.

                    They do a daily quiz for weekdays, and one of the questions in November was "which tennis pro retired yesterday?" or something to that effect. The three other choices seemed unlikely, so I went Dent and it was correct.
                    [quote=jjgold;5683305]I win again like usual
                    [/quote]

                    [quote=Whippit;7921056]miami won't lose a single eastern conference game through end of season[/quote]
                    Comment
                    • jarrod
                      SBR Hustler
                      • 10-15-10
                      • 97

                      #11
                      i was never a fan.
                      Comment
                      • ATP123
                        Restricted User
                        • 10-30-10
                        • 1094

                        #12
                        dont remember too much from him
                        Comment
                        • Jrod124
                          SBR Hall of Famer
                          • 10-31-09
                          • 5622

                          #13
                          yeah saw this. Guy never cld put it together for a full ATP season. Alot of talent too many injuries
                          Comment
                          • Fischnasty
                            SBR MVP
                            • 02-10-09
                            • 1931

                            #14
                            wow, interesting. probably would have gone awhile before i ever noticed this.
                            Comment
                            • noober
                              SBR MVP
                              • 10-23-09
                              • 2012

                              #15
                              Hope he enjoys life after tennis.
                              Comment
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