One of New Zealand's most successful professional tennis players has confirmed 2024 will almost certainly be his last on the gruelling world tour.
At 34, Marcus Daniell has spent more than half his life competing around the globe, but after two serious knee surgeries in two years, a more fitting finish is now within his grasp.
The doubles specialist spent years as a junior training at Wellington's Renouf Centre, so seeing one of the courts named after him is...
"Flattering, humbling," he told Newshub. "I got very emotional when it was uncovered.
"I actually didn't know it was going to happen."
Daniell hopes he's got a better idea of how 2024 might go, confirming it'll likely be his last on the tour.
"If I go out and win all four Grand Slams next year, then maybe I'll reconsider, but the loose plan at this stage is to put a huge amount of effort into one more year, try and get a shinier medal at the Olympics and hang the racquets up soon after."
Daniell's been a tour professional for 16 years, winning five ATP doubles titles and his pinnacle moment - an Olympic bronze medal at Tokyo, alongside fellow Kiwi Michael Venus - but he could be forgiven for thinking that was a lifetime ago.
He has since undergone two major knee surgeries that's kept him away from the sport for almost two years.
"I am really lucky, now that I have something outside of tennis, with the charity stuff that I am passionate about and I really enjoy spending time on," said Daniell.
That charity work is a big part of his future. Daniell leads 'High Impact Athletes', where pro sports stars from around the world donate some of their earnings to charities.
He's committed to contributing 50 percent of his own next year, but competing remains Daniell's primary goal and that shinier medal at the Paris Olympics is a big motivator.
"Hopefully if we get there, in Paris, having family there, Kiwis in the stands, that would be a pretty amazing thing to have in one of my final big events," he said.
Regardless, Daniell is already reserved local legendary status in Wellington.
"I have to keep playing until I have a winning record on my own court," he chuckles.
