Myskina plans to retire if on-court struggles continue

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PARIS -- When Anastasia Myskina won the French Open in 2004 she became the first Russian woman to win a Grand Slam title.

Two years later, after a disappointing season in 2005 in which she became the first Roland Garros defending champion to lose in the first round, Myskina says she'll have to do better in 2006 or retire.

"I give one more chance to myself this year to do well, and I have a goal," said Myskina, who was focused on her mother's battle with cancer last year.

"I know it's [my goal] a really tough one, but it's to be in Madrid [at the season-ending championships] by the end of the year. So if I can reach that one, that's going to be perfect," she said.

Myskina finished the 2005 season out of the top 10 for the first time in three years.

But she's faring much better this year with a 14-8 record, having reached the semifinals at Tokyo and quarterfinals at Miami.

When asked why she would consider possible retirement at only 25, Myskina insisted there's no point in playing if she can't compete at a top level.

"There's so many things you can do besides the tennis," she said after beating Sania Mirza of India 6-4, 6-1 in the first round at Roland Garros. "I don't want to be in the middle [of the field] of something. I want to be either top player or just [do] something else good."

Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press

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