In a heartfelt farewell, Uzbekistan’s tennis stalwart, Denis Istomin, has announced his retirement from professional tennis following a match between the Uzbekistan and Poland teams at the Davis Cup.
Istomin has been a prominent figure in Uzbekistan’s tennis, leaving a lasting legacy with his participation in three Olympic Games, clinching a gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games, two silver medals at the Guangzhou 2010 Games, and a bronze medal at the Incheon 2014 Games.
His retirement was officially announced post-match at the Humo Arena, where the Davis Cup encounter between Uzbekistan and Poland took place, as reported by the National Olympic Committee.
The ceremonial farewell match saw Istomin go up against young tennis player Amir Milushev. Following the match, Uzbekistan’s Minister of Sports, Adham Ikramov, Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee, Oybek Kosimov, President of the Uzbekistan Tennis Federation, Alisher Mirsoatov, and Federation Secretary General, Iroda Tulyaganova, made their way onto the court.
Minister Adham Ikramov honored Istomin for his invaluable contributions to Uzbek sports and commended his role in its development. Following the tributes, Istomin was ceremonially sent off in traditional fashion. Graciously, Istomin expressed his gratitude for the recognition of his career achievements.
During his noteworthy career, Istomin represented Uzbekistan at the 2012 London, 2016 Rio de Janeiro, and 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics. In addition to his victory at the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia and his results from the 2010 and 2014 Asian Games, Istomin achieved a career-high ATP ranking of 33rd in 2012 and secured main tournament victories in 2015 and 2017. These milestones earned him the honorary title of "Distinguished Athlete of Uzbekistan."
