Roger Federer will retire from professional tennis next week, the living legend has announced.
The 41-year-old will end one of the greatest sporting careers of all time after the Laver Cup in London next week.
A 20-time Grand Slam champion, Federer announced on social media today that next week will be his last as a professional tennis player.
“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,” the Swiss superstar wrote.
Federer, who has won 20 Grand Slam singles titles, has not competed since Wimbledon last year when he lost in the quarter-final to Hubert Hurkacz.
He has recently struggled with a knee injury which kept him out of the tour for over a year.
Federer has only contested five events since January 2020 and has undergone three knee surgeries in that period, which played a big part in his decision to retire.
“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,” he noted.
“But I also know my body’s capacities and limits, and its message to me lately has been clear. I am 41 years old. I have played more than 1500 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.”
Federer has one of the all-time great tennis careers and for a long time he held the men’s record for total Grand Slam titles, surpassing his idol, Pete Sampras, the previous record holder whose count of 14 was once considered to be almost untouchable.
His 20 Grand Slam men’s singles titles are only bettered by Rafael Nadal, who has 22, and Novak Djokovic, who has 21.
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