Roger Federer stunned the sports world on Thursday morning, announcing his retirement from professional tennis. Federer shared the news on his Twitter account, posting a heartfelt statement and video.
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) September 15, 2022
Roger Federer's retirement will come after next week's Laver Cup, which he says will be his final ATP event.
In a statement, Federer said the following, “I've 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 recognize when it is time to end my competitive career.”
Roger Federer, a 20-time Grand Slam champion, went on to thank the various ATP tournament sponsors, his competitors, the fans, his family and his team in the classy statement, which also included a farewell and promise to the game of tennis.
Roger Federer thanked “everyone around the world” for making the “dreams of a young Swiss ball kid come true.” He finished up the statement by saying he “loves” tennis and “will never leave” the game behind.
The last three years had indeed been trying on Federer, who has not played a competitive match since 2021 at Wimbledon. He announced he would be undergoing knee surgery later that year, which was the latest in a series of injuries he has faced in the back end of his career.
Tennis fans will get to see Federer one last time at the upcoming Laver Cup, where he will take the court with Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray as they compete for Team Europe.
At the time of his retirement, Roger Federer owns the record for most consecutive weeks at no. 1 with 237. He's also the oldest player to ever rank no. 1 in the world.
The sports world bids farewell to one of the greatest to ever step onto a tennis court, Roger Federer.
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