Then one day, while she was sitting on her sofa watching TV, she decided it was time to retire, just like that.
The Dutch grande dame of wheelchair tennis ended her career in 2013 on a winning streak of 470 matches — an achievement second only to Pakistani squash great Jahangir Khan’s record mark of 555 straight victories set in the 1980s.
“That decision to walk away, to walk into a world you don’t know, have no experience in, was one of the scariest times in my life,” Vergeer told CNN’s Open Court.
“Sometimes it still is scary!”
An emotion fueled moment the previous summer had acted as a catalyst for Vergeer’s decision to step away from competition.
After winning a seventh Paralympic gold medal at London 2012, she broke down in tears, explaining to the media huddled around her, “There was so much pressure on me. Everybody just expects me to win gold, expects it to be easy.”
A new life
After toiling and training for 20 years, she thought enough was enough.
“It was such a relief to win that medal,” says the 33-year-old Vergeer as she reflects on her self-imposed sabbatical. “So I decided to take a break after the Paralympic Games and I enjoyed not having to deal with the pressure anymore.
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“I have to admit that I’m playing basketball now,” Vergeer smiles. “I’m really enjoying being in a team and playing in competitions.”
But inside the confines of the Center Point sports complex in Almere, just outside Amsterdam, the former tennis ace was persuaded to pick up a tennis racquet for the first time in 18 months for CNN’s Open Court.
The emotions and muscle memories stirred for Vergeer may have revealed more than a recently retired tennis pro might have wished.
“I haven’t played tennis for a while now after my retirement and I noticed that coming back to the court makes me feel free somehow,” she explains.
“I feel strong, I feel fast. I feel in control, I love that! Now I realize a year and a half not playing tennis is too long.
“I think I’m going to go out on court more often.”
Could ‘Vergeer the Invincible’ consider making a comeback in time for the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio?
The Dutch ace is keeping her counsel for now but perhaps we shouldn’t bet against 470 straight victories and counting.
