Iveta Melzer (nee Benesova) retired from professional tennis this week. Benesova, known to tennis fans for many years as Iveta Benesova before marrying ATP star and fellow left-hander Jurgen Melzer in 2012, announced her retirement from the game after 16 years as a pro. The 31-year-old announced the news on her Facebook page. "So this is the end of my journey as a professional tennis player. This wasnt an easy decision because tennis has been my life since I was a little girl, but its about the right time. I feel it in my heart. Being out for over a year and still facing continuous shoulder problems has not been easy for me, so this thought has been on my mind for some time. The truth is also that after so many years on tour, it is hard for me to find the determination or desire to make tennis my number one priority in life. "So deep down inside me I know that this is the right time for me to move on." Melzers career was highlighted by a pair of WTA titles in Acapulco in 2004 and Fes, Morocco, in 2010, a career-high ranking of No. 25 in 2009, and a more-than-respectable 14 WTA doubles titles, including 10 with good friend and fellow Czech Barbora Zahlavova Strycova. She also reached six other WTA singles finals, but perhaps the most meaningful of all was winning a Grand Slam mixed doubles title at Wimbledon in 2011 -- with her soon-to-be hubby. Unfortunately for Melzer, she never reached a Grand Slam singles quarterfinal. The aforementioned shoulder injury derailed her career in 2012. And after a year-and-a-half out of action, Melzer returned earlier this year and played in five more tournaments, without much success, going 0-5, including what turned out to be her final match, a loss against American Coco Vandeweghe at the French Open. 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The Detroit Tigers slugger fell short in his bid to become the first player to win the Triple Crown in successive seasons.MELBOURNE, Australia - Serena Williams saw that older sister Venus was progressing to the fourth round at a Grand Slam tournament for the first time since 2011 and it inspired her own comeback win on Saturday at the Australian Open.Top-ranked Serena Willliams made a lacklustre start to her third-round match against No. 26-ranked Elina Svitolina on Rod Laver Arena — knowing when she walked out that Venus was down a set and a break on a nearby court — but picked up her game after realizing her sister had recovered and was advancing with a 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-1 win over Camila Giorgi.Svitolina kept hitting winners in the first set, theres not much I can do. Then I saw (Venus) score and thought Wow shes winning, well I can do better, Serena Williams said after her 4-6, 6-2, 6-0 win. We always motivate each other.Shell have to be at the top of her game in the next round she meets No. 24 Garbine Muguruza, who beat her in the second round at the French Open last year. Muguruza defeated Timea Bacsinszky 6-3, 4-6, 6-0.Venus Williams couldnt contain her delight after her win on Margaret Court Arena, beaming a smile as she turned to wave to all sides of thee stadium and then moved to the music blaring over the loud speakers.dddddddddddd.The 34-year-old, seven-time major winner next faces sixth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska, a semifinalist here last year and Wimbledon finalist in 2012, who advanced with a 6-0, 7-5 win over Varvara Lepchenko.Venus Williams was diagnosed with an auto-immune condition called Sjogrens syndrome in 2011, which can cause joint pain and saps energy. In the 13 Grand Slam tournaments after her fourth-round appearance at Wimbledon that year, she skipped two and made first-round exits in four others, including the 2014 Australian Open.She was only two points from a third-round departure in the second set against Giorgi, serving at 30-30 in the ninth game, before working her way back into the contest. Giorgi contributed to her own demise with 16 double-faults.Well, this old cat has a few tricks left, Williams said in her on-court interview. Being back into the fourth round, feels fantastic especially when things happen in your life and its not in your control, so it definitely feels awesome to be here, and I dont want to leave it at that. Ill try to keep going. ' ' '