She never won a Grand Slam like Andy Murray, but Elena Baltacha was the best female tennis player in Scotland's history. Late last week, at the age of 30, Baltacha decided it was time to retire from the WTA.

She reached the Top 50 for the first time in 2010 and thrice made the third round of Grand Slams. She was a staunch supporter of the UK in the Fed Cup, playing 39 matches during a 12-year stretch, and also competed in the 2012 London Olympics.

In a statement released to the media, Baltacha said, "It just feels it's the right time. My body has taken such a bruising over the last 16 years and that's finally taken its toll. I have had some amazing experiences through playing tennis - some incredible highs and some very low lows - and I wouldn’t change any of them but now my mind and my body are telling me it’s time to move on to a new phase of my life."

At age 19, Baltacha was diagnosed with primary sclerosing cholangitis, a liver condition which affects the immune system. However, she rarely, if ever, allowed it to affect her play on the court.