Ilie Năstase to announce shock retirement?

  • By Smith Alexander
  • Bucharest
  • Last updated on

Năstase created a stir on Sunday when rumors have surfaced that his career was over.
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Sad news for Năstase fans. Speculation had been rife that the Romanian tennis player is about to announce his retirement from sports, at age 79, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 02/02/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Being a tennis player isn't fun anymore

“As we get older, there are phases of life that we enter into, and being a tennis player just isn't fun anymore,” he might have said, says a source who remained anonymous. Other reports hinted that he may branch out into other creative fields he is better at (and more interested in), though they didn't provide any details.

#ThankYouIlie

For a little while on Sunday evening, #ThankYouIlie was a trending hashtag on Twitter. As many fans reminisce and look back on all the unforgettable memories, some may wonder what about now made him make the decision.

“Ilie Năstase was unlike any other tennis player we’ve ever seen! #ThankYouIlie”
— @universalObserver, 1 Feb 2026
“I thought Ilie Năstase retired about 5 years ago?!?”
— @millythom, 1 Feb 2026

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