NEW YORK, November 18: US tennis pro Gigi Fernandez has surprisingly announced her decision to quit the sport after she and her doubles partner lost in the first round of the Masters Tournament.

After she and Belorussian partner Natasha Zvereva lost 5-7, 6-3, 4-6 to Helena Sukova and Larisa Neiland in Madison Square Garden Fernandez, 33, said yesterday that her life's priorities were changing. In the course of her career, Fernandez - together with Zvereva - won 14 Grand Slam titles. Fernandez twice won Olympic gold in her discipline, in Barcelona and Atlanta.

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