Roger Federer has announced the “bittersweet” decision to bring his professional tennis career to a close. The 20-time grand slam champion has been struggling with a knee problem for the last three years and, aged 41, has accepted defeat in his bid for one last hurrah.
Federer will play in next week’s Laver Cup in London, the Ryder Cup-style competition that was his brainchild, but will then leave the professional game. He made the announcement via a letter posted on social media.
He said: "As many of you know, the past three years have presented me with challenges in the form of injuries and surgeries. 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 1,500 matches over 24 years.
"Tennis has treated me more generously than I ever would have dreamt, and now I must recognise when it is time to end my competitive career. The Laver Cup next week in London will be my final ATP event. I will play more tennis in the future, of course, but just not in Grand Slams or on the tour."
Federer has not played a competitive match since losing to Hubert Hurkacz in last year’s Wimbledon quarter-finals. He subsequently announced he needed further knee surgery, having previously undergone two operations in 2020 that kept him out for more than a year.
He had targeted a full return following the last operation but it became increasingly clear that his rehabilitation was not going as well as he hoped. Federer’s grand slam record has now been surpassed by both his great rival Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic but many, especially the fans he brought to the sport, consider him the best of all time.
Federer continued: “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."
He thanked his family for their support, especially wife Mirka, a near constant presence by his side during his career, and their four children. Federer’s influence on tennis will remain through the Laver Cup and the management agency he shares with long-time agent Tony Godsick, while it remains to be seen what else he will do in his retirement.
