Roger Federer has announced that he will retire from the ATP Tour and grand slams following the Laver Cup next week in London.
“I am 41 years old. I have played more than 1500 matches over 24 years. Tennis has treated me more generously than I ever would have dreamt, and now I must recognize when it is time to end my competitive career,” the 20-time grand slam winner said in an Instagram post.
The last few years of Federer’s career have been marred by a series of injuries, as he underwent two knee surgeries in 2020 and another after he was defeated by Hubert Haracz in the 2021 Wimbledon quarterfinal – his last competitive match to date.
“As many of you know, the past three years have presented me with challenges in the form of injuries and surgeries,” he said. “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 was lucky enough to play so many epic matches that I will never forget. We battled fairly, with passion and intensity, and I always tried my best to respect the history of the game. I feel extremely grateful.”
Nadal took to Twitter to commemorate his great rival and friend: “Dear Roger, my friend and rival. I wish this day would have never come. It’s a sad day for me personally and for sports around the world. It’s been a pleasure but also an honor and privilege to share all these years with you, living so many amazing moments on and off the court.
“We will have many more moments to share together in the future, there are still lots of things to do together, we know that … I’ll see you in London.”
Despite playing alongside two of the greatest players of all time, Federer has still broken multiple records, including becoming the oldest ever world No. 1 at age 36 and remaining at the top of the rankings for a record 237 consecutive weeks.
Among his many accolades, Federer won a career grand slam: the Australian Open six times, the French Open once, the US Open five times, and Wimbledon – the tournament with which he was synonymous – a record eight times.
He also won 103 ATP titles – the second most in the Open era behind only Jimmy Connors – a record six ATP finals, the Davis Cup and a gold medal at the 2008 Olympics in the men’s doubles alongside Stan Wawrinka.
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