Roger Federer, the best tennis player to ever play according to many, is wrapping up his illustrious career. Federer announced on Thursday that he decided to retire after an appearance at the upcoming Laver Cup later this month.
In a message posted on social media and addressed “to my tennis family and beyond,” Federer explained that the injuries he suffered in the past years have been the main reason behind his retirement.
“As many of you know, the past three years have presented me with challenges in the form of injuries and surgeries,” Federer said. “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 clear.”
The 41-year-old dealt with injuries many times throughout his career but always managed to come back to the top level after. However, it was different this time as it seemed he had to overcome one issue after another.
Federer’s most recent string of injuries started during the 2020 Australian Open semifinals against Novak Djokovic, when he suffered a groin injury. Shortly after, he decided to undergo a knee procedure with hopes of dealing with a lingering issue. His initial goal was to come back for the grass part of the season, but a setback ruled him out for the remainder of the year and prompted him to have another surgery.
After being out for more than a year, Federer returned to tennis in 2021. After a series of underwhelming performances, he entered Wimbledon and reached the quarterfinals before being eliminated by Hubert Hurkacz. He became the oldest Wimbledon quarterfinalist in the Open Era at the age of 39. Following his elimination, Federer had to undergo another procedure on his knee, and this turned out to be his final Grand Slam appearance.
“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,” he added.
Roger Federer is known as an all-court, all-around player that can do everything at an elite level. He was the first tennis player to reach 20 Grand Slams and only trails Novak Djokovic (21) and Rafael Nadal (22) in major titles. Federer still holds numerous Grand Slam records, including most Wimbledon titles (8), most semifinals at a single tournament (15 at Australian Open), match wins (369), four consecutive seasons with 2+ men’s singles titles (2004–07), and many others.
