Nine-time major singles titlist Monica Seles officially retired from tennis on Thursday.

Seles had not played competitively in more than five years because of a foot injury, but she never had officially retired.

“Tennis has been and will always be a huge part of my life. I have for some time considered a return to professional play, but I have now decided not to pursue that. I will continue to play exhibitions, participate in charity events, promote the sport, but will no longer plan my schedule around the tour,” the 34-year-old Seles said in a statement released by her agent, the Agence France-Presse reported.

Born in the former Yugoslavia, Seles became a naturalized United States citizen in 1994. By the time she was 19, Seles earned eight major championships. But in April 1993, tragedy hit Seles. At a tournament in Hamburg, Germany, she was attacked by a man who climbed out of the stands.

Seles returned to tennis 27 months later and immediately reached the 1995 U.S. Open final. She then won her ninth Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January 1996.

In 1999, she suffers stress fracture to her right foot and misses the latter part of the year, which she ends sixth in the rankings.

In 2003, Seles sustained a foot injury and never returned to WTA tour.

“Monica Seles is one of the great champions in the history of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, and an inspiration and role model for millions of fans throughout the world. No one will ever forget the fierce determination and will to win that Monica brought to the court, nor the caring and warm person that she has always been off the court,” WTA Tour chief executive Larry Scott said, quote by the AFP.