The Cincinnati Open is one of the biggest tournaments on the tennis calendar and has seen some legendary champions over the years.
Last year saw Jannik Sinner win the Cincinnati Open, winning the Masters 1000 tournament for the first time in his career.
While in the women’s tournament, Aryna Sabalenka beat Jessica Pegula to win the Cincinnati Open title.
Both of these players are still world number ones, but a champion of the 2022 tournament is now closing in on a retirement from tennis.
Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty ImagesCaroline Garcia: The 2022 Cincinnati Open champion who is soon retiring
Caroline Garcia had been ranked as high as world number four and had already won two WTA 1000 titles before heading into the 2022 Cincinnati Open, but was forced to play qualifying after falling down the rankings.
The Frenchwoman actually had to come from a set down in the first round of qualifying against Diane Parry, and very few people could have predicted what was going to happen after that.
Garcia would beat the likes of Maria Sakkari, Jessica Pegula and Aryna Sabalenka to reach her first WTA 1000 final in five years.
Completing the dream week, Garcia would beat another soon-to-be-retiring player in Petra Kvitova, 6-2 6-4, to win the Cincinnati Open title.
To this day, Garcia is still the only qualifier in history to win a title at WTA 1000 level.
Cincinnati Open 2022Caroline Garcia’s ResultsFirst Qualifying RoundGarcia beat Diane Parry, 4-6 6-3 6-2Second Qualifying RoundGarcia beat Andrea Petkovic, 6-2 6(5)-7 6-2(Main Draw) First RoundGarcia beat Petra Martic, 6-3 6-3Second RoundGarcia beat Maria Sakkari (4), 7-6(2) 6(6)-7 6-1Third RoundGarcia beat Elise Mertens, 6-4 7-5QuarterfinalGarcia beat Jessica Pegula (7), 6-1 7-5SemifinalGarcia beat Aryna Sabalenka (6), 6-2 4-6 6-1FinalGarcia beat Petra Kvitova, 6-2 6-4
Garcia would continue her momentum throughout the rest of the year, reaching the US Open semifinals and winning the year-end WTA Finals to match her previous career-high of world number four.
However, it has been more of a struggle since then, with Garcia admitting she has been unhappy on the WTA Tour in recent years.
Garcia has confirmed she will retire this year, with the US Open expected to be her last ever tournament.
The now world number 199, who has only played 10 matches in 2025, will also make one final appearance at the Cincinnati Open after receiving a wildcard.
What Andy Murray once predicted would happen to Caroline Garcia
Garcia has won 11 WTA singles titles in her career, as well as two Grand Slam doubles titles at Roland Garros.
Someone who talent spotted Garcia from a young age is Andy Murray, who made a famous social media post back in 2011.
After watching a 17-year-old Garcia take Maria Sharapova to three sets at Roland Garros, Murray claimed he had just watched a future world number one.
He wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter) in 2011, “The girl Sharapova is playing is going to be number one in the world one day Caroline Garcia, what a player u heard it here first.”
The girl sharapova is playing is going to be number one in the world one day caroline garcia, what a player u heard it here first
— Andy Murray (@andy_murray) May 26, 2011
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Although Garcia had a very successful career, she was never quite able to live up to Murray’s big prediction for her.
Garcia will now look to showcase her best tennis once again, as she makes her final appearance at the Cincinnati Open with a first round match against Sonay Kartal.