Opinion | Squash queen Annie Au joins the police as Hong Kong sport loses one of its few world-class stars
- Au, the only squash player from Hong Kong who has broken into the world’s top 10, retired early this year at 31
- The Asian Games gold medallist still had much to offer had she chosen to stay in the sport
Athletes retire all the time when they reach a certain age, whether in Hong Kong or other parts of the world. For the most part, it is merely a footnote.
However, it’s another thing altogether when an athlete at the peak of her powers decides to call it a day and quit her sport for a completely new career – refusing to look back and leaving a large void.
Hong Kong squash player Annie Au Wing-chi announced her retirement earlier this year at 31. Despite being in her 30s, it’s hardly retirement age in squash circles with her ranking at 11 in the world.
She was still very much a world-class player. Given she was free of any major injuries that may have prompted her to retire and having played in the Windy City Open in Chicago a month earlier, the timing of her announcement came as a surprise.
When she made the decision in March, Au was cagey about her future plans. It was hoped that she would use her experience and expertise to help develop Hong Kong’s next champion player.
