Sunday 22 June 2014 18:08, UK
Marion Bartoli does not regret her decision to retire as Wimbledon champion as she approaches the final fortnight of her reign.
The Frenchwoman secured her one and only Grand Slam triumph at last year’s tournament, completing a dominant 6-1 6-4 win over German Sabine Lisicki in the final.
But any thoughts of further titles were wrecked by a persistent shoulder injury which forced her to quit the sport, just 40 days after her greatest achievement.
So many things are going on in my life right now, but I'm just extremely honoured to be still the 2013 Wimbledon champion and reigning champion just for the last two weeks.
Bartoli shed tears as she made the announcement, but 10 months later she is more comfortable with life away from the court and will savour her final few days as champion.
"It's just an amazing moment to come back and see all those flashbacks from last year, all those pictures around, and having my name engraved on this champions' board," said the former World No 7.
"I feel extremely honoured and quite proud."
The 29-year-old has not considered a return to tennis as she is still troubled by the nagging injury.
But Bartoli, a beaten finalist in 2007, is glad she was able to sign off with a fairytale win.
"Literally, I can't even lift my arm every morning," she said. "So I definitely have no regrets at all.
"So many things are going on in my life right now, but I'm just extremely honoured to be still the 2013 Wimbledon champion and reigning champion just for the last two weeks.
"Sometimes people ask me, 'Who are you?'. I just say, 'I'm the Wimbledon champion'. It just speaks for itself.
"It was a fairytale that actually happened to my life last year. I finally got my title. I finished without dropping a set on an ace.
"That's the last memory that stays forever inside my heart and my mind. I wish I could have won 10. I just won once. But it's just the best one actually I won."
