Tennis legend Roger Federer has announced his retirement from the sport.
The eight-time Wimbledon champion has called it quits on his illustrious career that began over two decades ago.
In an emotional message, Federer made the announcement earlier today that he will retire at the Laver cup.
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Federer, a 20-time Gram Slam title winner, last won a Major at the 2018 Australian Open. His retirement comes on the back of an injury-plagued 18 months. He has had to go under the knife during this time.
His statement
The 41-year-old Swiss released an emotional message on social media.
“My body’s message to me lately has been clear,” Federer said.
“I have played more than 1,500 matches over 24 years. Now I must recognise when it is time to end my competitive career.”
He added: “To the game of tennis, I love you and will never leave you. This is a bittersweet 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.”
The tennis great also thanked his opponents from a golden era of the men’s game.
“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.
“I feel extremely grateful. We pushed each other, and together we took tennis to new levels.”
Federer has struggled with a knee injury for the past three years. He has been restricted by the knee issue to only three of the 11 Grand Slams staged since the beginning of 2020.
He has not played a competitive match since losing to Hubert Hurkacz in the quarter-finals at Wimbledon last summer.
The great thereafter announced he needed additional surgery on his knee. This is after having two operations in 2020.
Only Rafael Nadal (22) and Serbia’s Novak Djokovic (21) have won more men’s Grand Slam singles titles than Federer.
Federer made his professional bow at the age of 16 in 1998. He won his first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 2003.
Wimbledon pays tribute
After Roger Federer announced his retirement, Wimbledon paid tribute to him with a classy statement.
Federer will go down as one of tennis’ all-time greats after emerging as the first male player to reach 20 Grand Slams.
And the organisers of the famous Wimbledon tournament paid a heartfelt tribute to the Swiss player, describing it as a “privilege” to witness one of the greatest players in history perform on their courts.
Their message to the Swiss on twitter read: “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.”
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