- Monday, March 10, 2025
By: Shubham Ghosh
Roger Federer, one of the greats of modern-day tennis, announced on Thursday (15) his retirement from the professional sport. The 20-time Grand Slam champion is set to hang up his boots after the Laver Cup in London later this month.
The 41-year-old from Switzerland is one of the Big Three that have dominated the tennis world for the last two decades, the other two being Spain’s Rafael Nadal and Serbia’s Novak Djokovic.
Federer, whose last Grand Slam title had come at the Australian Open in 2018, had not ruled out a comeback despite not having played on the tour since playing the quarter-final in Wimbledon 2021. However, he said that his body, which has battled a prolonged knee injury, gave him a clear message.
He attended the Wimbledon Centre Court’s centenary event earlier in 2022 where he said that hoped to play in London at least once more. The ace player was also expected to make a professional comeback at his home tournament in Basel. Switzerland. But after having gone through three knee surgeries in the last two years, he took the call which perhaps was inevitable.
“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 also posted an audio on Twitter which he captioned “to my tennis family and beyond, With love Roger”.
To my tennis family and beyond,
With Love,
Roger pic.twitter.com/1UISwK1NIN— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) September 15, 2022
Federer was the first among the Big Three to breach the 20 Grand Slam mark but was then overtaken by Nadal who won 22 crowns and Djokovic who won 21.
Federer won eight Wimbledon, six Australian Open and five US Open titles. His only French Open crown had come in 2009.
