First, Serena Williams. And now Roger Federer.
The tennis world is having to say goodbye to another legend of the sport as the Swiss superstar took to social media to announce that he is retiring.
“The Laver Cup next week in London will be my final ATP event,” Federer, 41, said in his statement. “I will play more tennis in the future, of course, but just not in Grand Slams or on the tour.”
Federer, who debuted in 1997, retires with 20 Grand Slam singles titles, including eight wins at Wimbledon. He finishes his remarkable career behind Rafael Nadal (22) and Novak Djokovic (21) in major championships on the men’s side.
In his statement, Federer pointed to injuries as the main reason why it’s time to call it a career.
“As many of you know, the past three years have presented me with challenges in the form of injuries and surgeries,” Federer said. “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.”
Federer underwent two major knee surgeries in 2020 and an additional operation in 2021. He has not appeared in a tournament since Wimbledon in 2021 when he lost in the quarterfinal round to Hubert Hurkacz.
“This is a bittersweet decision,” Federer added. “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.”
Federer’s resume also includes five wins at the U.S. Open, six at the Australian Open and one at the French Open. His 2009 triumph on the red clay at Roland Garros completed the career Grand Slam. His most recent Grand Slam win came at the 2018 Australian Open.
He won 103 tour level-titles and won 1,251 singles matches, trailing only Jimmy Connors in the Open era on both lists. He also finished the year ranked No. 1 five times. In 2018, he became the oldest No. 1 in ATP history at the age of 36.
Federer’s announcement comes on the heels of 23-time Grand Slam champ Serena Williams announcing in a Vogue magazine essay that she was “evolving” away from the sport. Her third-round loss to Ajla Tomljanovic at the U.S. Open earlier this month is expected to be her last competitive match.
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