Roger Federer on Thursday announced his retirement from professional tennis. Federer made his professional debut aged 16 in 1998 then claimed his first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 2003. Laver Cup 2022 in London next week will be his last tournament. (More Tennis News)
The news comes just days after the end of the US Open, which was expected to be the last tournament of Serena Williams’ career. It thus signaled the end of an era in tennis.
"To my tennis family and beyond," the Swiss maestro wrote in a social media post, accompanied by a voice note.
Federer last competed at Wimbledon 2021, where he lost at Centre Court in the quarter-finals to Hubert Hurkacz 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-0.
"My body's message to me lately has been clear," Federer said, reflecting on a series of knee operations he has had.
Regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, he won 20 major titles, and is only behind his great rivals Rafael Nadal (22) and Novak Djokovic (21) in men's tennis in the Open era, which began in 1968.
He became the world number one for the first time in 2004, and spent then a record 310 weeks as the leading player on the ATP Tour. Overall, Roger Federer has won 1,251 singles matches for 103 tour-level titles -- both second only to Jimmy Connors in the Open era.
"I have played more than 1,500 matches over 24 years. Now I must recognise when it is time to end my competitive career... To the game of tennis, I love you and will never leave you."
Federer, 41, has won 20 Grand Slam titles, including eight Wimbledon titles.
The Swiss maestro has not competed since Wimbledon in July 2021. He, however, attended the 100-year anniversary of Centre Court at the All England Club in July. That month itself witnessed Federer dropping out of the ATP rankings entirely for the first time in a quarter-century.
Federer last won a Grand Slam at the 2018 Australian Open as a 36-year-old. He is the second-oldest man to win a major singles title in the Open era.
"This is a bittersweet decision because I will miss everything the tour has given me," added Federer. "But, at the same time, there is so much to celebrate. 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 also thanked his family, support team and fans. Federer and his wife, Mirka have two sets of twins.
"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. We pushed each other, and together we took tennis to new levels."
Soon after Federer's announcement, Wimbledon said "It's been a privilege to witness your journey and see you become a champion in every sense of the word" and thanked him for "the memories".
"We will so miss the sight of you gracing our courts, but all we can say for now is thank you, for the memories and joy you have given to so many."
In a fitting tribute, ATP Tour simply said, "You changed the game".
Federer remains the most successful grass-court male player, winning eight Wimbledon titles. He also won six Australian Open, five US Open and one French Open titles.
