Catalina Castano retires from professional tennis

Charleston, 2006

Columbia's Catalina Costano announced Thursday that she is retiring from professional tennis because she has a diagnosis of breast cancer. Castano is undergoing chemotherapy to treat her illness.

The 35-year-old Colombian player reached her highest ranking, number 35 in the world, in 2006. She is the most decorated player in Colombian Fed Cup history, with the most ties played, the most years played, and the most matches won. She played 50 Fed Cup ties in her career.

"I live day by day because with cancer you never know when everything suddenly ends," Castano said in making the announcement.  "I hope to recover as soon as possible and from there I will see what I'll do. For sure something related to tennis because tennis is my passion."