"24 Years Feels Like 24 Hours": Roger Federer Announces Retirement
Federer won his first grand slam in the year 2003 when he won the Wimbledon title. He has since gone on to win 6 Australian Opens, 1 French Open, 8 Wimbledonand 5 US Open titles.
Tennis legend Roger Federer, the first men's player to win 20 grand slam titles, has announced his decision to retire from the sport after Laver Cup 2022. Federer informed of his decision with a post on his Twitter handle. Federer won his first grand slam in the year 2003 when he won the Wimbledon title. He has since gone on to win 6 Australian Open, 1 French Open, 8 Wimbledon and 5 US Open titles. He has been struggling with a knee injury for a long time.
"The Laver Cup next week in London will be my final ATP event," he said in a statement posted on his Twitter account.
The 41-year-old winner of 20 Grand Slam titles has been out of action since a quarter-final loss at Wimbledon in 2021 before undergoing another bout of knee surgery. Federer's announcement comes on the heels of the retirement of Serena Williams. Serena retired with the second most grand slam titles to her name in the women's game (23).
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) September 15, 2022
Federer is at third position in terms of the total number of grand slam titles won behind his main rivals Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
Here is an excerpt from Federer's statement on his retirement:
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 have met along the way; my friends, my competitors and most of all the fans who give the sport its life. Today, I want to share some news with all of you.
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. I am 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 recognise when it is time to end my competitive career.
The Laver Cup next week 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. This is a bitter sweet decision because I will miss everything the tour has given me. 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.
I would like to especially thank my amazing wife Mirka who has lived through every minute with me. She has warmed me up before finals, watched countless matches even while over 8 months pregnant. And has endured my goofy side on the road with my team for over 20 years. I also want to thank my 4 wonderful children for supporting me, always eager to explore new places and creating wonderful memories along the way.