After a series knee operations, Roger Federer has decided to retire from professional tennis. He had won 20 Grand Slam titles and finished five seasons at No. 1. Federer was the first to create a golden age of men’s tennis, alongside Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.
Federer posted Thursday on his social media that the past three years had presented him with many challenges, including injuries and surgeries. Federer said, “I have worked hard to get back to my full competitive form. However, I am also aware of my body’s limits and capacities. This has been a clear message to me recently.
“I’m 41 years old. Over the past 24 years, I have played over 1500 matches. I have been treated more generously by tennis than I could ever imagine, and I now need to recognize when it’s time for me to retire from competitive tennis.”
Federer’s 20 Grand Slam titles are third in men’s tennis history behind only Djokovic (22) and Nadal (22).
Federer stated that he will continue to play tennis but not on the tour or in Grand Slams. Federer had not played in a competitive match since the quarterfinals of Wimbledon 2021. He announced mid-August that he had had another knee operation.
He had made an appearance at the event celebrating the 100th anniversary at Centre Court at All England Club in July, and stated that he would return to play there “one last time.” He had also stated that he would be returning to tournament action at Swiss Indoors in October.
Federer stated, “This is a bittersweet choice, because I will miss all the tour has provided me.” There is much to be proud of. I consider myself to be one of the most fortunate humans on Earth. I was blessed with a unique talent in tennis and I played it at a level I could never have imagined. It took me much longer than I thought.
Nadal also expressed similar sentiments, tweeting “I wish this date would never have come”, but also thanking God for the chance to “share all these many years with you, and living so many incredible moments on and off court.”
Federer, Nadal and Djokovic will be playing together in their first ever match at the Laver Cup in London on Sept. 23-25. The three-day event is named after Rod Laver, an Australian legend. It features six of Europe’s best players against six from around the globe.
Tony Godsick is Federer’s agent from 2005 to The Associated Press. He said that Federer was having problems in his recent recovery from knee surgery.
Godsick stated in a telephone interview that “a few weeks after Wimbledon, the knee was not responding as well as it should” and that he was looking into ways to end his career. He should quit, as I had suggested years ago. His level of tennis is rare. He was still keen to challenge himself. The tires eventually gave out after more than 1,500 matches. He has plenty to do on the next stage.
Federer departs with 103 Tour-level titles and 1,251 singles wins, second only to Jimmy Connors during the Open era which began in 1968. Federer is the oldest No. Federer is the oldest No. 1 in ATP rankings history. He returned to the top position at 36 years old in 2018, and he was there for most consecutive weeks. Djokovic eclipsed his total-weeks record.
Federer’s dominance at the peak of his power is unrivalled. He won 10 consecutive Grand Slam finals and eight of them from 2005 to 2007. This run also extended to 18 out of 19 major finals into 2010.
Federer’s streaks of 36 quarterfinals and 23 semifinals between 2004 and 2013 were remarkable in a sport that is subject to changes in the surface.
Roger Federer is a champion’s champ. “He has the most complete game of his era and captured the hearts of sports lovers around the globe with an incredible speed on the court as well as a powerful tennis brain,” Billie Jean King, Hall of Famer, said. He has a remarkable career that will be remembered forever.
Pete Sampras was the man who held the men’s record of titles when Federer won the first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon 2003. The American had previously won 14 at the US Open in the same year. It turned out to have been the last match in his career.
Federer would win more than that. He won eight Wimbledon championships, six at the Australian Open, and five at the US Open. Federer’s 2009 Roland Garros trophy allowed him to complete his career Grand Slam.
His forehand, forehand and footwork, as well as his attacking style, will be cherished forever. His matches against his younger rivals Nadal (36), and Djokovic (35), will be remembered. They both equalled, then exceeded, Federer’s Slam total, and are still winning titles in the sport’s four largest tournaments.
Federer announced Thursday that he was “lucky enough to play so many epic games that I will never forget”. Federer addressed his “competitors” on the court, but not by name. He wrote: “We pushed one another, and together, we took tennis to new heights.”
Mirka Federer, a tennis player herself, and Federer have two sets.
