Dual French Open finalist Robin Soderling has officially confirmed his retirement from tennis, more than four years since his last match as a professional.
The 31-year-old Swede has not played competitively since the summer of 2011 after falling ill with severe glandular fever.
And he said on Wednesday: "I have realised that I will not be fit enough to play tennis at the level I demand of myself.
"Although my career as a tennis player is over I still have a bright future ahead of me and my schedule for the next few years is full."
A popular performer with a big serve and powerful, accurate ground strokes, Soderling won 10 titles during his career.
And he memorably handed Rafael Nadal the Spaniard's first French Open defeat when he prevailed 6-2 6-7 6-4 7-6 in a fourth-round clash in 2009.
That remained clay king Nadal's only defeat at Roland Garros until he was beaten by Novak Djokovic this year.
Soderling went on to reach the final that year before losing to Roger Federer, but defeated the Swiss great in the 2010 quarter finals, only to lose to Nadal in the final.
Having become an established member of the top 10, Soderling reached a career high fourth in the world rankings in late 2010.
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