Olympics-Tennis-Germany's former silver medallist Kerber to retire after Games

Rio Olympic silver medallist Angelique Kerber, who won three different Grand Slam titles, will retire from tennis after the Paris Games, the German said on Thursday.

Former world number one Kerber, 36, finished runner-up to Puerto Rican Monica Puig at Rio in 2016 and won the Australian Open and U.S. Open titles that year.

The left-hander won Wimbledon in 2018 and reached the quarter-finals on the red clay of Roland Garros twice.

"Before the @Olympics begin, I can already say that I will never forget #Paris2024, because it will be my last professional tournament as a tennis player," Kerber wrote on social media.

"I took the toughest decision of my life today. It's really not so easy to make such a big decision. If I could I would play forever but there should be a time," she said after the draw.

Kerber returned to the WTA Tour this season after 18 months on a maternity break and bows out with 14 tournament wins in her career.

"Paris 2024 will mark the finish line of the most incredible journey I could have ever dreamed of growing up with a racket in my hand," Kerber added.

The Paris Olympics tennis tournament runs from July 27-Aug. 4 at Roland Garros.