It’s a sad day for all the Tennis fans from all over the world. The legend and the face of the sport for many, Roger Federer has announced his retirement from the sport. Federer, 41, announced his decision to retire after the upcoming Laver Cup in London. The ace player has decided to end his illustrated run in the ATP following a rough patch of injuries and surgeries.
“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 Grands Slams or on the tour,” announced Federer on Thursday.
“This is a bittersweet decision because I will miss everything the tour has given me. But at the same time, there’s so much to celebrate.”
Federer has registered his name among the greatest players ever in the history of the game during his career spanning over 24 years. Roger has competed in as many as 1500 matches over these years. Federer has breached and earned many records to his name during his dream run in Tennis. He along with his nemesis Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic still hold over major records in the history of Grand Slams.
Roger Federer: The Records and the Glory
103x Career titles
31x Grand Slam finals
20x Grand Slam titles
8x Wimbledon titlesRoger Federer. pic.twitter.com/WXk8uZ4igD
— Sky Sports (@SkySports) September 15, 2022
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Roger Federer claimed his first-ever Grand Slam win in 2003 when he conquered the Wimbledon title. There was no looking back for him after that. Federer went on to win as many as 6 Australian Open, 1 French Open, 5 US Open and 8 Wimbledon. The legendary player has earned the record of being the first-ever men’s player to win 20 Grand Slam titles.
The 41-years-old ultimately became the oldest ever World no. 1 in the ATP rankings at the age of 36 in the year. Moreover, Federer undisputedly dominated the top rank for a record 237 consecutive weeks, making a record at that too. In the Grand Slam wins record, he’s just behind Nadal and Djokovic who have earned the title 22 and 21 times respectively.
“I would also like to thank my competitors on the court. 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,” he wrote in the message announcing his retirement.
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“I feel extremely grateful. We pushed each other and together we took tennis to new levels.”
Injuries, the Ultimate Indicators
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) September 15, 2022
The last couple of years hasn’t treated Federer well in the game. Federer suffered numerous injuries and surgeries. In the year 2020 itself, Federer underwent a couple of knee surgeries to further his run in the ATP. Come 2021, he faced a defeat in the Wimbledon quarterfinals. The quarter-final loss was followed by another knee injury. And the legendary player has since been absent from the game, that is from the July of 2021.
“As many of you know, the past three years have presented me with challenges in the form of injuries and surgeries. I have 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,” explained Federer.
“I’m 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.”
You changed the game, #RForever. @rogerfederer ❤️ pic.twitter.com/XIyDzCMTuk
— ATP Tour (@atptour) September 15, 2022
And still, these years of struggle with his physical injuries haven’t marred even a wee bit of the greatness that Federer has earned over the years. Federer can undoubtedly be credited as the living legend of the game for the current generation. The face that pops out in the minds of people, no matter a Tennis fan or not, when the word “Tennis” comes up. As he leaves ATP behind following the Laver Cup, Roger Federer leaves an unbeatable string of legacies behind.
Excerpts From Roger Federer’s Message for the Fans
To my tennis family and beyond,
With Love,
Roger pic.twitter.com/1UISwK1NIN— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) September 15, 2022
“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 gave the sport it’s life.”
“Above all I must offer a special thank you to my unbelievable fans. You will never know how much strength and belief you have given me.”
“The inspiring feeling of walking into full stadiums and arenas has been one of the huge thrills in my life. Without you, those successes would have felt lonely, rather than filled with joy and energy.”
“The last 24 years on tour have been an incredible adventure. While it sometimes feels like it went by in 24 hours, it has also been so deep and magical that it seems as if I’ve already lived a full lifetime.”
Roger,
Where do we begin?
It's been a privilege to witness your journey and see you become a champion in every sense of the word.
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. pic.twitter.com/VDWylKvW86
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) September 15, 2022
“So, I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart to everyone around the world who has helped make the dreams of a young Swiss ball kid come true.”
“Finally, to the game of tennis: I love you and will never leave you.”
