Johansson quits tennis at 25

A persistent shoulder problem has ended the career of Swedish tennis star Joachim Johansson.

A persistent shoulder problem has ended the career of Swedish tennis star Joachim Johansson. The 25-year-old, who at the height of his success reached number nine in the world rankings, announced this week that he was retiring from the game. During his career the Swede won three singles titles on the ATP Tour and also represented his country in the Davis Cup, including last year's semi-final defeat to the United States. The 2004 US Open semi-finalist has undergone three operations since he sustained the injury in 2005 but has since struggled to make a full recovery. Johansson said in a statement on Friday that he had decided to call it a day after months of deliberation. "This is a decision which has taken shape in recent months," he said. "I can train for a few weeks and play the odd tournament but then my shoulder becomes strained. "In order to be at my best I have to rest for long periods, then it becomes difficult to achieve my goals and so it's impossible to continue. "Now I have to find a new goal in my life. No matter what happens, I will always play tennis in the future even though it's not on a professional level."