FORMER world No.1 Amelie Mauresmo has committed herself to at least another year on the WTA circuit in a bid to end her career on a positive note.
The 29-year-old Frenchwoman struggled for form throughout this year and saw her world ranking plummet outside the top 20 as she failed to win a single tournament.
She even considered retirement during the summer after splitting from long-time coach Loic Courteau, but finally has decided to attempt to regain full fitness and battle her way back to the top.
“I was not that far from packing it all in because I was so far away from getting back to the level that I wanted to play at,'' Mauresmo told L'Equipe sports daily.
“But I am not the kind to take hasty decisions and so I though it over and decided to continue playing.
“I want to prove to myself that I am strong enough to get back to my best form. I am not too much interested in where I am in the rankings but I want to be able to win tournaments again.
“My last title was in Antwerp in 2007 and quite frankly I miss all that. I really want to once again be playing in big tournaments feeling that I can win them by beating the best players.''
Mauresmo, who reached the world No.1 spot in 2007 after winning the Australian Open and Wimbledon, said that she was also encouraged by the instability at the top of women's tennis since the retirement earlier this year of Justine Henin.
“For the moment I am not looking past next year,'' she said.
“It all depends on how it goes. If it is a repeat of what happened in 2008, that will be it for me. But if I can succeed to do what I have set out to do we will see.''
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