Tennis superstar Roger Federer is ending his career. The Laver Cup in London next week will be his last appearance on the ATP Tour, the 41-year-old Swiss announced. The long-time world number one cited physical complaints as the reason.
To my tennis family and beyond,
With Love,
Roger pic.twitter.com/1UISwK1NIN– Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) September 15, 2022
Federer, the son of a Swiss and a South African, turned professional in 1998, celebrated his first tournament victory in Milan in 2001 and made his breakthrough in 2003 with the first of eight triumphs on the grass at Wimbledon. In the course of his more than two-decade-long career, he has also made a grand comeback several times after injuries or weaker years.
Born in Basel, he has won 20 Grand Slam titles and a total of 103 singles titles. He was Olympic doubles champion in Beijing in 2008 and won the Davis Cup with Switzerland in 2014.
Spain’s tennis star Rafael Nadal has reacted to the announced retirement of his long-time opponent Roger Federer with a very personal message. “Dear Roger, my friend and rival,” the Spaniard wrote on Twitter on Thursday.
“I wish this day had never come. It’s a sad day for me personally and for sport around the world,” the 36-year-old wrote. “It was a pleasure but equally an honour and privilege to share all these years with you, so many great moments on and off the court.” Nadal has celebrated 22 Grand Slam victories, two more than Federer.