Legendary Tennis player Roger Federer has announced his retirement from the game after Laver Cup 2022. Federer made the shocking announcement with a post on his Twitter handle. The 41-year-old won his first grand slam in the year 2003 when he won the Wimbledon title. He has since gone on to secure victory in six Australian Open, one French Open, eight Wimbledon and five US Open titles. He’s the first men’s player to win 20 grand slam titles.
Federer has been struggling with a knee injury for a long time. “The Laver Cup next week in London will be my final ATP event,” he said in a statement posted on his Twitter account.
The tennis ace has been out of action since a quarter-final loss at Wimbledon in 2021 before undergoing several knee surgeries. Federer’s announcement comes right after the retirement of Serena Williams. Serena retired with the second most grand slam titles to her name in the women’s game (23).
Federer is placed at the third position in terms of the total number of grand slam victories behind his main rivals Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. “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 dear. I am 41 years old,” Federer said on Instagram.
“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 recognize 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,” he added.
Federer’s last Grand Slam win came in 2018 when he successfully defended the Australian Open crown. Federer reached the final of Wimbledon in 2019 but ended up losing to Serbia star Novak Djokovic. Federer was most successful on grass, winning as many as eight Wimbledon titles.
