ST PETERSBURG, Florida: Nine-time Grand Slam winner Monica Seles has announced her retirement from competitive tennis.

The announcement ends one of the most glorious careers in the sport as the 34-year-old won 53 singles titles and six doubles tournaments.

"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," Seles said.

She first became No 1 in the world in March 1991 and held the top ranking for 178 weeks over the next two years.

Seles was born in the former Yugoslavia and became a naturalized United States citizen in 1994. Tragedy struck Seles in April 1993, when she was stabbed in the back during a match in Hamburg, Germany. She was not able to play again for more than two years.