Former top-25 tennis pro Dent retires

Former top-25 player Taylor Dent is retiring from professional tennis.

The 29-year-old American was one of a handful of current pros with a serve-and-volley style. Once ranked as high as 21st, Dent had three back operations in 2006 and 2007 that derailed his career, then made a comeback and climbed back into the top 100 in 2009.

In a statement released Monday by his agent, Dent says he wants to stay active in the sport and ''explore opportunities ... that my full tournament schedule never allowed.''

He went 12-19 this season, and is ranked 85th.

His career record is 151-140 with four titles, three in 2003. He and 1974 Australian Open runner-up Phil Dent were the first father-son duo to win ATP titles in the Open era.