Tennis-Israeli Peer forced to call time on career

Feb 28 (Reuters) - Former world number 11 Shahar Peer, the most successful Israeli woman to play on the WTA Tour, announced her retirement because of injury on Tuesday.

The 29-year-old righthander won five singles titles in 12 years on the WTA Tour and reached her career high ranking in January 2011.

Peer had not played a match on tour since the Abierto Monterrey in February last year, when she lost in the opening round of qualifying.

"I made this decision following a chronic inflammation in my shoulder, that has been lasting for over two years, and prevents me from competing at the high level that I am used to and expect from myself," Peer, 29, wrote on Facebook.

"I look back on this experience with a huge smile, a lot of happiness and satisfaction.

"I am proud of all of my accomplishments as well as the huge honor I was given to represent the state of Israel."

Peer, who turned professional in 2004, became the first Israeli woman to make the quarter-finals of a grand slam, doing so twice in 2007, at the Australian Open and U.S. Open.

In 2008, she became the first Israeli to compete at a WTA tournament in the Arabian Peninsula when she took part in the Qatar Open.

In addition to her successful WTA career, Peer was a Fed Cup stalwart for Israel, playing 76 matches and compiling a 45-31 record, and in 2008 she represented Israel at the Beijing Olympics. (Reporting by Larry Fine in New York; Editing by Nick Mulvenney)