MIAMI — It seems fitting, in a way, that Roger Federer chose to retire from tennis this weekend in London, the home of Wimbledon and a city of royals.
Crowds lined the streets there in recent days to mourn the death of Queen Elizabeth II and now Federer, the undisputed King of Tennis Royalty, will abdicate his throne at long last, at age 41.
His final tournament will be the Laver Cup, a Europe vs. the World event in which his teammates will include his biggest rivals, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, both of whom gushed over Federer on social media last week when he announced his retirement plans.
“Dear Roger, my friend and rival: I wish this day would have never come,” Nadal wrote. “It’s a sad day for me personally and for sports around the world. It’s been an honor and privilege to share all these years with you.”
Djokovic wrote: “Roger, it’s hard to see this day and put into words all that we’ve shared in this sport together…Your career has set the tone for what it means to achieve excellence and lead with integrity and poise. It’s an honor to know you on and off the court.”
The Swiss star won 20 Grand Slam titles, reached 23 consecutive Grand Slam semifinals, was No. 1 in the world for the better part of six years, and won 103 ATP singles titles. Those are impressive numbers, to be sure. But they are not the reason Federer is so beloved.
It is his grace on and off the court that makes Federer so special. His forehand is fierce, his backhand wicked, but his playing style is elegant and fluid, a thing of beauty. He makes even the toughest shots look effortless, gliding around the court like a figure skater. His sweat seems to evaporate faster than his opponents’.
There is something almost regal about Roger, from his perfect hair to his GQ style to his simple, but classy RF logo. He switches between languages as deftly as he gets around the court. Federer can speak a total of nine languages. He is fluent in English, Swiss German (his first language), German, and French, and speaks some Italian, Mandarin, Swedish, Spanish and Afrikaans (his mother is South African).
The father of four is a marketers’ dream.
It is no wonder that Federer has made an estimated $1 billion over his career in sponsorships, endorsements, appearance fees and business deals. In 2020, Forbes ranked him the World’s Highest Paid Athlete at $106.3 million. For 17 years in a row, he was the highest paid player in tennis.
His portfolio of sponsors exudes class: Mercedes-Benz, Rolex, Credit Suisse, Lindt chocolates, to name a few. In 2018, he left Nike to sign a 10-year, $300 million deal with Japanese company Uniqlo.
Federer conducts himself with dignity, win or lose. That wasn’t always the case. During his junior career he was known to throw a tantrum and mangle a racket every now and then. But he matured as a player and a man as the years passed.
Despite his riches and fame, Federer treats media members with respect. He makes eye contact with reporters in press conferences, and gives thoughtful answers, even when some questions are silly or stupid. This cannot be said of many of our most famous athletes.
He is equally kind to tournament workers and fans, including my mother.
Back in 2014, I had occasion to introduce Federer to my mother at the Miami Open when it was played on Key Biscayne. My Mom is one of the biggest Roger fans around. She would set her alarm for the wee hours to watch Federer play in the Australian Open. She never misses his matches and roots him on from her living room.
I surprised her and arranged for her to meet Federer in a hallway after his post-match press conference that day. He came around the corner, put out his hand, and my Mom, who loves to talk as much as I do, was speechless. He couldn’t have been friendlier. He asked her where she lives. He asked her if she is a big tennis fan. When she told him she wakes up early to see him play in Australia, he smiled and said, “Oh, you’re one of those fans.” He then posed for a picture with her.
Eight years later, that framed photo still sits on her living room bookshelf. In fact, it is the only non-family photo in her apartment.
Injuries started creeping up on Federer of late, and his once seemingly invincible body began to show its wear. He was human, after all. He overcame knee surgery in 2016 and made a comeback in 2017, beating Nadal in the Australian Open final, winning his eighth Wimbledon title, and becoming the oldest No. 1 in history at 36. He defended his Australian Open title in 2018, his last major title.
The knee issues continued. He had three surgeries, and has not played in 14 months, since a quarterfinal loss at Wimbledon in 2021. Surely, he watched 19-year-old Spanish phenom Carlos Alcaraz win the 2022 U.S. Open with his electric style and sensational shot-making and wondered how he would fare against the new generation of athletes in the sport.
Alcaraz took over the No. 1 world ranking, a changing of the guard in a sport Federer, Nadal and Djokovic have dominated for so long.
“I am 41 years old; I have played more than 1,500 matches over 24 years,” Federer said on his farewell video on social media last week. “Tennis has treated me more generously than I ever would have dreamed, and now I must recognize when it is time to end my competitive career.”
In the span of a few weeks, tennis will have bid farewell to Queen Serena Williams and King Roger Federer. There will be other stars to come. That’s sports. But Serena and Roger were truly special. Of the many things I am grateful for in my 35-year sports writing career, the pleasure of watching those two play in person ranks near the top.
Tennis royalty, indeed. Long Live the King and Queen.
