Gavin Manders, Bermuda’s most decorated tennis player, has announced his retirement from international competitions.

Manders, who represented the island for over two decades, from the juniors up to the seniors, retires with a record 33 wins for Bermuda at the Davis Cup.

His final appearance came in July at the Island Games in Guernsey, in which he was handed the honour of being Bermuda’s flag-bearer, with his two sons, Gavin and Kai by his side.

That trip to Guernsey also saw him win two more medals, to take his tally at the Island Games to 14. A winner of over 50 domestic titles, his other achievements include qualification for the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games in Puerto Rico, as well as the Commonwealth Games in India, the same year.

His decision to step away from the sport comes five months after Manders was presented with the ITF Davis Cup Commitment Award. He played his part in ensuring that Bermuda remain in the Americas group three, when they avoided relegation in Paraguay.

As well as his record of 18 singles victories at the Davis Cup, Manders was also successful in the doubles discipline, claiming 15 wins, just five behind Jenson Bascome’s record of 20.

In calling time on his international career, the 37-year-old, believes it is an opportune moment for him to pass on the baton to up-and-coming talent.

“I feel like I've pretty much done my part,’’ Manders said. “Now it’s time for the younger generation to take it from here, and take US to the next stage.

“The group that we’re playing in, the way my body is, my children and the different things I want to do in my life, I think it’s time to put a little energy into other places.”

Arriving at such a decision was not easy for Manders, with a lot of consultations going into it before a call was eventually made.

“It’s been going on for a while, a couple of years,’’ he said.

“I went on a full body cleanse for a month, just to think clearly about it, there was no drinking, and no eating meat.

“It wasn't just for the decision but it was so that I knew I was making the right decision, I wasn't going off with any emotions, just clear thought of where I'm in my life.

“Most people don't see the amount of work it requires to do this type of thing. Two years ago I thought about it, I went to the team, and spoke to them, I told them what I was thinking about, they told me they need me.

“That same year, I went undefeated in doubles and we got promotion.

“Real thought has been these last couple of months after Island Games with the boys, being the flag-bearer and having them walk with me, it does not get better than that.

“I took the last couple of months to process things and process what I want to do, go with my decision, and ready to move on.”

In June, Manders became Bermuda’s most qualified tennis coach when he acquired an International Tennis Federation Level 2 coaching badge for advanced players, in Valencia, Spain. This has created the possibility of him one day succeeding Ricky Mallory as national coach.

He is already playing a huge role in junior development through the Manders Tennis Management, and Manders Tennis Movement.

“I'm only retiring from international competitions, obviously I'm still heavily involved in tennis,’’ he added.

“Hopefully, at some point I will take over the national team coaching role, I don’t know what type of time frame we have since this is a fresh decision.”

At the age of 17 in 2004, his first year of representing Bermuda, Manders became the island’s youngest player to win a Davis Cup singles match, when he achieved the feat against Eastern Caribbean in Costa Rica. The record was broken by Trey Mallory when he did so in 2018, aged 16.

He is proud to have played Davis Cup with a different generation of players, from Jenson Bascome, David Thomas, Na'im Azhar, Jovan Whitter – then the new generation of James Finnigan, Mallory and Tariq Simons to finish off his career.

“All the memories with the team, that’s the stuff I’ll miss the most,’’ Manders said.

“Like the longest match in history was in Bolivia, three hours and 13 minutes, that’s something I’ll remember.

“Memories with the team and all of that, it’s something that I’ll hold onto for the rest of my life.

“My proudest moment would be flag-bearer with my boys, nothing comes close to walking down the streets of Guernsey with thousands of people while my sons were walking beside me.

“I was given the honour to be the flag-bearer because of all the international stuff I’ve done, so that’s by far number one.

The lowest moment for Manders was when, at the peak of his career, the Bermuda Lawn Tennis Association could not send out teams for the Davis Cup, in 2011 and 2012. He felt he could have achieved much more if he had represented the island in those two years.

He is aware that without others supporting him, he would not have achieved much in his career.

“I'm grateful to a lot of people for where I'm in life,’’ he said.

“Sam Maybury, my coach and mentor, father and role model Arnold, together with my stepmother for financially supporting him to go to an academy in the United States as a junior.

“My late mother Disa helped me go through the lows of my career. My wife Meghan has held the fort while I travel.

“My junior coach Steve Bean, as well as Ricky Mallory, these are the individuals who played a huge part in shaping my career.

“Not forgetting Craig Brown at Apex, the physiotherapist who kept me going for my entire career. Twenty plus years of rehab and having me ready to compete, wouldn't have had this longevity without Craig.”

In 2006, Manders lost an interest in the sport during a time when he was trying to figure out what he really wanted to do with his life.

Through Maybury’s intervention, who got him to start mentoring up-and-coming players, Manders rediscovered his passion for the game, before he made his return to playing in 2008.

“I had a lot going on,’’ Manders said of that period.

“At home, different family dynamics, I was just a young champion that lost his passion for tennis.

“I lost my way for that little period and then regained my focus through Sam and his mentorship, then I've been on top of my game ever since.”

A multi-talented sportsman, Manders also played cricket and football at a young age, before he decided tennis was what he loved the most.

His fondness for racket sports has seen him get involved in pickleball, where he is driving the junior development side of things.

The good news for Bermuda is that while their best-ever tennis player retires, his two sons, aged 6 and 7 are already winning tournaments, an indicator that the future is bright for the sport.