Switzerland’s tennis great Roger Federer has announced his retirement from professional tennis after 24 years on the ATP tour.
Federer made the announcement in a video posted on his social media channels before sharing the statement in another post on his social media platforms.
The statement read: “To my tennis family and beyond. Of all the gifts that tennis has given me over the years, the greatest, without a doubt, has been the people I’ve met along the way: my friends, my competitors, and most of all the fans who give the sport its life. Today, I want to share some news with all of you.
“As many of you know, the past three years have presented me with challenges in the form of injuries and surgeries. I’ve worked hard to return to full competitive form. But I also know my body’s capacities and limits, and its message to me lately has been clear. I am 41 years old. I have played more than 1,500 matches over 24 years. Tennis has treated me more generously than I ever would have dreamt, and now I must recognise when it is time to end my competitive career.
“The Laver Cup next week in London will be my final ATP event. I will play more tennis in the future, of course, but just not in grand slams or on the tour.”
Federer’s retirement comes just a few weeks after Serena Willams announced she is evolving from the game. The Swiss maestro retires as one of the greatest players of all time and the first player to truly transcend the sport.
The 41-year-old underwent surgery, which ruled him out for the remainder of the year. He did return a year later in Qatar before playing at the Geneva Open, French Open, Halle and Wimbledon last year.
He had reached the fourth round at Roland Garros but had to pull out of his encounter against Matteo Berrettini to protect his knee.
Despite his lack of matches, Federer reached the quarter-final at Wimbledon last year, losing to Hubert Huckraz. Following his loss to the Polish star, he announced he would go for another surgery to come back.
However, the Swiss great has now decided to bring down the curtain on his career, with the Laver Cup set to be his last professional event.
While the talk of his retirement has been looming, the announcement is still a sad one for lovers of the sport and millions of his fans.
“This is a bittersweet decision, because I will miss everything the tour has given me. But, at the same time, there is so much to celebrate,” Federer continued in his statement.
“I consider myself one of the most fortunate people on Earth. I was given a special talent to play tennis, and I did it at a level that I never imagined, for much longer than I ever thought possible.”
His 20 grand slam titles are only third to Rafael Nadal’s 22 and Novak Djokovic’s 21. Federer also won 103 titles – 2nd in Open Era to Jimmy Connors (109)
He has 1,251 wins – 2nd in Open Era to Connors’ 1,274. He remains the oldest World No. 1 at 36, while he spent 310 weeks on top of the rankings, second only to Novak Djokovic.