On Thursday, Roger Federer announced he will retire from professional tennis after more than two decades once next week’s Laver Cup in London is over.
Federer is regarded by many as the greatest male player to wield a tennis racket. He took the sport to new levels winning twenty Grand Slam singles titles.
The 41-year-old said his age had finally caught up with him.
“As many of you know, the past three years have presented me with challenges in the form of injuries and surgeries,” Federer said in an emotional statement posted on Instagram.
“I’ve worked hard to return to full competitive form,” he said. “But I also know my body’s capacities and limits, and its message to me lately has been clear. I am 41 years old.”
Roger Federer played 1,500 tennis matches over 24 years
“I have played more than 1,500 matches over 24 years,” Federer said looking back on his career. “Tennis has treated me more generously than I ever would have dreamt, and now I must recognize when it’s 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, who dominated men’s tennis for several years after winning his first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 2003, has been troubled by injuries in recent years.
He has undergone three knee operations in the last two years and his last competitive match was a quarter-final defeat against Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz at the 2021 Wimbledon.
He had also planned to play at the Swiss indoor tournament at home in Basel.
“This is a bittersweet decision because I will miss everything the tour has given me,” Federer, who has two sets of twins with wife Mirka, added.
“But at the same time, there is so much to celebrate,” he said. “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,” he said happily.
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