Six-time Grand Slam champion Joe Salisbury retires

Former world number one doubles player and six-time Grand Slam doubles champion Joe Salisbury has retired from professional tennis.

Salisbury chose this month’s US Open as his final event and reached the semi-finals with his long-time partner Rajeev Ram, who had also decided to retire.

The venue was fitting, as in 2023 Salisbury and Ram became the first pair in history to win three consecutive US Open men’s doubles titles.

Salisbury is Britain’s most successful men’s doubles player of the Open Era. He also won the 2020 Australian Open with Ram, and two mixed doubles titles with Desirae Krawczyk.

The 34-year-old says he has been thinking about his future for a while, and is now “very happy with the decision.”

“Tennis has been my life for as long as I can remember and I have been incredibly fortunate to have had all the opportunities, experiences and success that I have,” he posted on Instagram.

“To be able to travel the world and call playing tennis my job has been a dream come true and I never believed I could have lived the life and had the career that I have.

“I gave it my all and know I can be proud and look back with no regrets.”

Salisbury took a three month break at the start of this year, having told BBC Sport about the anxiety which had been affecting him on tour.

While he did not think it affected his tennis very much, he said it left him with a “feeling of dread” which made life on the road far less enjoyable.

Salisbury finishes his career with 17 tour level titles, including the season ending ATP Finals of 2022 and 2023.