The news came just after the retirement of Serena Williams, who played her last match on the tour at the US Open. Federer has won 20 Grand Slam titles, among others, and was number 1 in the world for 310 weeks.
“As many of you know, the past three years have presented me with challenges in the form of injuries and surgeries,” Federer said on Instagram. “I’ve worked hard to come back in top competitive form. But I also know my body’s capacities and limits. His message to me was very important. I’m 41 years old.”
Federer added: “I’ve played over 1,500 matches in 24 years. Tennis has treated me more generously than I ever dreamed and now I have to realize when it’s time to end my competitive career.”
That’s why the Laver Cup in London is his last ATP event. “Of course I will play more tennis in the future, but not in Grand Slams or on the tour.”
It’s a “bittersweet” decision for the tennis maestro, whose every shot was imbued with an aesthetic and ease that made it unique. “Because I will miss everything the Tour has given me,” Federer wrote.
The Olympic doubles champion in 2008 and Davis Cup winner with Switzerland in 2014 has just one gap in his seemingly endless list of successes: he was denied individual Olympic gold.
The son of a Swiss father and a South African mother 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 Wimbledon lawn. In the years that followed, Federer came close several times to become the second player to win all four Grand Slams in a calendar year, but he failed to beat Rafael Nadal on clay at the French Open. It was only when Nadal missed the final there in 2009 that Federer also prevailed in Paris.
Federer fought big duels with Nadal as well as later with Djokovic and suffered bitter defeats, including in Wimbledon finals. In the course of his more than two-decade career, he reported back several times after injuries or weaker years. In 2012 he climbed back to the top of the world rankings with the Wimbledon victory, in 2017 he beat Nadal in a memorable final at the Australian Open in Melbourne, where a year later he also won the last of his 20 Grand Slam titles. In 2019, after missing match points, he lost the Wimbledon final against Djokovic, who, like Nadal, replaced him as number one in the world.
Modest esthete
The fans admired Federer for his aesthetic game, which sometimes made even the most difficult shots look amazingly easy. In fact, there was a lot of strength and athleticism in his mostly offensive appearance on the pitch. Federer, who was sometimes heated when he was younger, grew with his sporting success into a world athlete, who was always modest, patient and also funny when dealing with fans and was able to speak fluent English and French.
Federer traveled the world with his wife Mirka, a former professional player from the Czech Republic, the couple’s two pairs of twins and his companions – albeit in moderation. Early on, he limited his program to important tournaments to give his body breaks. Now Federer is finally withdrawing from the wandering life as a tennis pro.
It will be preserved in tennis in some form. The final sentence of his resignation statement on Thursday also testifies to this: “Finally, to the tennis game: I love you and will never leave you.”
Federer’s greatest achievements
- A total of 103 individual tournament wins
- 20 wins in Grand Slam tournaments (record): Wimbledon 8 (2003-2007, 2009, 2012, 2017), Australian Open 6 (2004, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2017, 2018), US Open 5 (2004-2008 ), French Open 1 (2009)
- 8 doubles titles, including Olympic gold in 2008
- 6 Masters Cup wins: 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011
- Davis Cup Winner 2014
- Olympic silver 2012
Source: Nachrichten
