MELBOURNE, Australia -- Australia's Alicia Molik has retired from international tennis after a long run of injuries, including a debilitating inner-ear virus.
Molik peaked at a No. 8 ranking after reaching the Australian Open quarterfinals in 2005, but spent most of the rest of that season off the circuit because she was unable to balance due to the ear virus.
She won the bronze at the 2004 Athens Olympics and, despite only limited time in competition, achieved her ambition of making the Beijing Olympics last month. But she was knocked out in the first round.
"It's tiring and it's very draining," Molik told Melbourne's The Age newspaper on Friday. "I've spent a lot of time thinking. I did have a huge setback three years ago, with my middle ear problem.
"It took a while to get back and since then I've just struggled with a few more things that I never imagined would come along the way."
Molik, 27, won five WTA singles titles and two Grand Slam doubles titles, at the Australian and French Opens.
