Former French Open champion Schiavone calls it a day

New York, United States: Former French Open champion Francesca Schiavone announced her retirement, saying there was nothing left to achieve.

The 38-year-old Italian, who defeated Samantha Stosur in the 2010 French Open final and was runner-up to Li Na in Paris the following year, won eight titles in her career.

She was the first Italian woman to win a Grand Slam singles title.

Francesca Schiavone has retired from @WTA tour. She was the 2010 French Open Champion, a former top 5 player and won 8 career titles on Tour. Congrats on a phenomenal career #WTA #WTATour #Schiavone #USOpen #ForzaItalia🇮🇹🎾 pic.twitter.com/eDLrRo7wp2

— Lukas Weese (@Weesesports) September 5, 2018

However, the former world No.4 has seen her ranking slump to 454 after last winning a match on the main tour at Wimbledon in 2017.

"When I was 18 years old, I had two dreams. First one was to win Roland Garros, and the second was to become top 10 in the world. I accomplished that," Schiavone announced during a press conference on the sidelines of the ongoing US Open.

Francesca Schiavone’s opening remarks from her retirement press conference. From the tributes rolling in from her fellow @WTA players, you can feel how much she was beloved and respected in the locker room. pic.twitter.com/YIpsSMUzAv

— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) September 5, 2018

"So I'm very, very happy and lucky that, as we say in Italia, 'It's done. This part is done'.

"After 20 years of career and life, I have new dreams."

The RG 2010 champion @Schiavone_Fra calls time on career but absolutely not on her dreams. ▶https://t.co/HCG3N2cnVz

Francesca Schiavone dit adieu à sa vie de joueuse professionnelle, mais pas à ses rêves ▶ https://t.co/GILDecqP1S

📷 ©@corinnedubreuil / FFT pic.twitter.com/igTTg6ymML

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) September 5, 2018

Schiavone helped Italy to three Fed Cup titles in 2006, 2009 and 2010 and made the quarter-finals at least at all the Slams.

She also won the longest women's match at a Grand Slam when she defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-4, 1-6, 16-14 in the fourth round of the 2011 Australian Open.

(With inputs from Agencies)