![]() ![]() Surrounded by rivals-turned-teammates Nadal, Djokovic and Murray on Team Europe for Laver Cup, Federer set about a weeklong, makeshift farewell party. one more time.”īut it was not to be, as Federer struggled further with a knee issue that had given him problems since 2016 and he decided it was time to step away from the professional game.Ĭongratulations poured in from around the world, including from peers Serena, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, tennis legends including Laver, Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova, as well as IOC President Thomas Bach, who called Federer “a true gentleman on and off the court.”įairytale endings are hard to find in sport, and though Federer lost his final match, you could argue he got one. In a brief interview, Federer hinted at a 2023 return: “I hope I can come back. The decision did not appear to be easy: Just two months prior, Federer had appeared at Wimbledon for a one-day celebration of the 100 th anniversary of Centre Court. ![]() (Federer – and Serena – often get that moniker, too.) The Laver Cup, he said, in the coming week, would be his final event, the Cup having been the brainchild of Federer to honour Australian legend Rod Laver, whom many consider the GOAT. "The last 24 years on tour have been an incredible adventure. “I was lucky enough to play so many epic matches that I will never forget,” Federer’s said. The announcement came via a video in which Federer read his farewell to tennis letter. Roger Federer: The retirement announcement Roger Federer at Grand Slams - Swiss tennis maestro in numbers.Roger Federer: Five matches that defined the retiring tennis legend's career.What comes next for Federer himself? That’s not quite clear just yet, though he appears to be taking his life in retirement in stride – so far. Regardless, it marked a mega-news few days for the sport as Federer, with 20 majors and countless records, and Serena, with 23 majors and a record book of her own, signalled the turning of a page from what long felt like a given: Both these all-time greats doing battle for Grand Slams, Olympic medals and some of the biggest achievements in the sport. The announcement came just weeks after Serena Williams, also 41, played what she said was likely her last event at the US Open, though since then she’s cast doubt around her “evolving away from” tennis. “Tennis has treated me more generously than I ever would have dreamt, and now I must recognise when it’s time to end my competitive career,” Federer said in the video. He shared the news in the most modern of ways – via social media – but with a Federer twist: A letter to his tennis family and friends. This was the year that Federer, who turned 41 in August, announced his official retirement from the sport, some 24 years after he played his first match on the ATP Tour. Although he played just one professional tennis match in 2022, it’s been a season to remember for tennis legend Roger Federer. ![]()
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