Roger Federer, one of many biggest gamers of all time, will retire from top-level tennis after the Laver Cup in London this month.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion has not performed since Wimbledon 2021, after which he had a 3rd knee operation.
“My physique’s message to me currently has been clear,” Swiss Federer, 41, mentioned.
“I’ve performed greater than 1,500 matches over 24 years. Now I have to recognise when it’s time to finish my aggressive profession.”
He added: “To the sport of tennis, I really like you and can by no means depart you.”
Federer has struggled with a knee drawback for the previous three years that has restricted him to solely three of the 11 Grand Slams staged for the reason that begin of 2020.
He has not performed a aggressive match since shedding to Hubert Hurkacz within the quarter-finals at Wimbledon final summer season.
He subsequently introduced he wanted extra surgical procedure on his knee having beforehand had two operations in 2020.
Solely Spain’s Rafael Nadal, with 22 majors, and Serbia’s Novak Djokovic, with 21, have extra males’s Grand Slam singles titles than Federer.
“This can be a bittersweet determination as a result of I’ll miss all the pieces the tour has given me,” added Federer.
“However, on the identical time, there’s a lot to have fun. I think about myself probably the most lucky individuals on Earth. I used to be given a particular expertise to play tennis and I did it at a stage that I by no means imagined for for much longer than I ever thought doable.”
In addition to thanking his household, assist staff and followers, Federer additionally thanked his opponents from a golden period of the boys’s recreation.
“I used to be fortunate sufficient to play so many epic matches that I’ll always remember. We battled pretty, with ardour and depth, and I all the time tried my greatest to respect the historical past of the sport.
“I really feel extraordinarily grateful. We pushed one another, and collectively we took tennis to new ranges.”
Federer made his skilled debut aged 16 in 1998 and received his first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 2003.
He ends his profession with a document complete of eight males’s singles victories on the All England Membership.
Federer’s closing Grand Slam triumph got here on the 2018 Australian Open when, aged 36, he turned the second-oldest man to win a serious singles title within the Open period.
After rising to world primary for the primary time in 2004, he spent 310 weeks because the main participant on the ATP Tour throughout his profession – a document till he was surpassed by Djokovic in February 2021.
He received Olympics doubles gold for Switzerland alongside Stan Wawrinka at Beijing 2008 and singles silver at London 2012 when Britain’s Andy Murray reversed his Wimbledon closing defeat from the earlier month.
He was additionally a part of the Swiss staff that received the Davis Cup for the primary time in 2014 and lifted a document six ATP Finals titles.
The three-day Laver Cup, staged on the O2 Area in Greenwich, begins on Friday, 23 September.
Federer is because of be part of Murray, Nadal, Djokovic, Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas and Norway’s Casper Ruud in a Europe staff taking over a staff representing the remainder of the world.
He was a part of the group that created and organised the event, first held in 2017.
Federer’s retirement announcement comes lower than two weeks after 23-time Grand Slam singles champion Serena Williams performed what is predicted to be the ultimate match of her profession on the US Open.
The place Federer received his Grand Slam titles
Federer is probably the most profitable grass-court male participant of all-time on the again of his unparalleled Wimbledon success, along with his final triumph on the All England Membership coming in 2017.
The Australian Open was the following most profitable main event for the Swiss, successful six titles at Melbourne Park between 2004 and 2018.
He claimed all 5 of his US Open titles in a row between 2004 and 2008, whereas his one and solely triumph on the French Open clay got here in 2009.
Federer reached 31 Grand Slam finals in complete, doing so for the final time at Wimbledon in 2019 when he misplaced to Djokovic having held two championship factors.
Federer retires – response
The chairman of the All England Garden Tennis Membership, Ian Hewitt, congratulated Federer on a “really outstanding profession”.
“He’ll endlessly be celebrated as one in all our biggest Wimbledon champions, having lifted the trophy eight instances from his 22 appearances on the All England Membership,” Hewitt added.
“I hope that, in retirement, Roger can look again with monumental satisfaction and delight on all his accomplishments and the excessive esteem through which he’s held by the tennis group.”
Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro, who defeated Federer to win the 2009 US Open, paid fulsome tribute to his rival.
“I really like you Roger,” he tweeted.
“Thanks for all the pieces you have achieved in tennis and with myself. Tennis world won’t ever be the identical with out you.”
ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi mentioned: “He spearheaded an unbelievable new period of progress and elevated the recognition of our sport. Few athletes have transcended their area in such a way.”
Garden Tennis Affiliation chief govt Scott Lloyd mentioned: “No person who noticed him play will neglect his grace, magnificence and poise on courtroom.”
| 20 Grand Slam singles titles | 310 weeks as world primary |
| 103 ATP titles | 28 Masters 1,000 titles |
| 6 ATP Finals victories | 31 Grand Slam finals |
| 1 Davis Cup triumph | £114m profession prize cash |
Evaluation
Russell Fuller, BBC tennis correspondent
We’ll, after all, keep in mind these 20 Grand Slam titles, and people 237 weeks in a row because the world primary.
We can even keep in mind Federer for his motion, his forehand and his serve.
However he might be remembered most of all for the magnificence with which he performed the game he beloved: a mode and charm which endeared him to so many.
We had been dreaming of the prospect of Federer making a comeback on the age of 41.
Illogical, in all probability, after 4 knee operations. However such mesmeric items depart little room for logic.
Wimbledon, or his residence city of Basel – the place, as a ballboy, his ardour for skilled tennis was stirred – would have been excellent locations to say farewell.
However a minimum of in London subsequent week he may have the corporate of Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray: rivalries which have additional enriched his profession.
