KEY POINTS:
Paola Suarez begins the final countdown to the end of an illustrious career in Auckland on Monday.
This will be the 30-year-old Argentine's 16th and last year around the circuit, and when she packs it in she can reflect on a terrific record during which she became the
world's best doubles player.
If things go well in the coming months, she will have 50 titles to her name when the rackets are put in the cupboard for good.
Consider the numbers: she has won four WTA singles titles to go with 42 doubles crowns, 32 with her good friend, Spaniard Virginia Ruano Pascual.
She would have teamed with Suarez in the ASB Classic next week but for a knee injury, which threatens their bid for a ninth Grand Slam title in Melbourne in three weeks.
She reached No 1 doubles ranking in September 2002, and got as high as No 9 in singles two years later; she has made more than US$5 million in prizemoney, been to three Olympic Games and, with Pascual, was named WTA Team of the Year in three consecutive years from 2002.
Her big hope for next year is to enjoy it and stay injury free.
Her last two campaigns have been marred by injury - last year to a hip, which needed surgery and sidelined her for the second half of the season, and this year a series of calf strains.
Suarez's singles ranking dropped to 178 but she has an exemption into the main Classic draw, courtesy of being able to resume at her pre-injury ranking of No 55.
"I am trying to play this year without injury and retire in good shape," she said before her sixth Auckland campaign.
"I really like the tournament.
"The organisation is really good and I feel comfy here."
Suarez has yet to win an Auckland title. The closest was in 2001 when she lost the final to unseeded American Meilen Tu - who is one of four former champions back next week, with Anne Kremer (2000), Eleni Daniilidou (2003-04) and Marion Bartoli (2006).
But Suarez has a remarkable record. On all her five previous trips, she has eventually lost to either the winner - in 2000, 2001, 2003, and 2004 - or this year, to the beaten finalist.
But it's for her doubles talent that Suarez, who lives in Buenos Aires, will be remembered.
"It's a special thing for me, to play with one of my best friends.
"We've played together for nine years and that relationship is really important."
The best doubles teams develop an almost telepathic on-court understanding, and that is true of the Suarez-Pascual pairing.
It's about having an awareness of where their partner will be, of thinking a step ahead - all the things which become instinctive through years of practice and playing.
"So many things are important, but this is one of the most important, that you know your partner so well," Suarez said.
She is looking forward to retirement. She has a wedding to plan in 2008 to her Spanish fiance, Francisco, then she wants to work on raising money for Argentine sports and athletes - from all sports, not just tennis - who need it.
Suarez knows making the break from tennis will be difficult.
After all, it's has been her life since she was 14.
"But I think it is going to be exciting because I have many new things I want to do."
So when the Grand Slams come round, will she have an inkling to be back at Roland Garros or New York's Flushing Meadow?
"I'm going to have good memories, but for me now it's tough to practice all the time. My body feels really tired. It's time to do other things."
So next week enjoy a last look at a player from the exclusive group who has had No 1 beside her name.
Paola Suarez
* Born: June 23, 1976, in Pergamino
* Height: 1.7m
* Weight: 64kg
* WTA singles titles: 4
* WTA doubles titles: 42
* Singles ranking: 178
* Doubles: 14
* Highest singles ranking: 9 (June 2004)
* Prizemoney: US$5.06m
