Tennis player Roger Federer retires, leaves a heartfelt note
“Today I want to share this news with all of you”, Tennis star Roger Federer announces retirement
Tennis legend Roger Federer, the first male player to win 20 Grand Slam titles, announced his decision to retire after the 2022 Laver Cup. Federer announced his decision with a message on his Twitter account. Federer won his first Grand Slam in 2003 when he won the Wimbledon title. Since then he has won 6 Australian Open, 1 French Open, 8 Wimbledon and 5 US Open. He has been suffering from a knee injury for some time. “Next week’s Laver Cup in London will be my last ATP event,” he said in a statement posted to his Twitter account.
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) September 15, 2022
The 41-year-old winner of 20 Grand Slam titles has been out of action since a quarter-final defeat at Wimbledon in 2021 before undergoing further knee surgery. Federer’s announcement follows the retirement of Serena Williams. Serena retired with the second most Grand Slam titles in women’s football (23).
Here is an excerpt from Federer’s statement on his resignation:
To my tennis family and beyond, of all the gifts tennis has given me over the years, the greatest has undoubtedly been the people I’ve met along the way; my friends, my competitors, and above all the fans who keep this sport alive. Today I want to share some news with you all.
Roger Federer announces retirement from competitive tennis
As many of you know, the past three years have presented me with challenges related to injuries and surgeries. I worked hard to be fully competitive again. But I also know the capabilities and limitations of my body, and its message has been clear to me lately. I’m 41 years old. I’ve played over 1500 games in 24 years. Tennis has treated me more generously than I ever could have dreamed of and now I have to recognize when it’s time to end my competitive career.
The Laver Cup next week will be my last ATP event. Obviously, I will play more tennis in the future, but not in the Grand Slams or on tours. 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 happiest people on the planet. I have a special talent for tennis and I did it at a level I could never have imagined, much longer than I thought possible.
I want to especially thank my wonderful wife Mirka who lived every minute with me. She warmed me up for the final, she watched countless matches, even when she was over 8 months pregnant. And he’s been putting up with my crazy side of the road with my team for over 20 years. I also want to thank my 4 wonderful children for their support, always eager to discover new places and create wonderful memories along the way.
