Swiss marvel Roger Federer former World No. 1 has has decided to bid farewell to professional tennis after the conclusion of the Laver Cup 2022.
On Thursday, the legendary tennis player shared a lengthy note to open up about his retirement plans. The Swiss tennis great further confirmed that the upcoming edition of the Laver Cup will be his final ATP tournament. Already embracing the twilight phase of his iconic tennis career, Federer has struggled to feature in major tournaments in the past three years. In his trophy-laden career, Federer has played more than 1500 matches over 24 years.
“Of all the gifts that tennis has given me over the years, the greatest, without a doubt, has been the people I’ve met along the way: my friends, my competitors, and most of all the fans who give the sport its life. Today, I want to share some news with all of you,” Federer said in an emotional statement shared on Twitter.
Federer, winner of 20-time Grand Slams, will retire from singles tennis at the 2022 Laver Cup. The Laver Cup is a men’s tennis tournament that is contested between teams from Europe and the rest of the world. The fifth edition of the Laver Cup will be played on the indoor hard courts at The O2 Arena in London from 23 September to 25 September.
Over the years, Federer has smashed a plethora of records in men’s singles tennis. Often dubbed as one of the greatest tennis players of all time, Federer has won 20 Grand Slams and the tennis icon has secured 103 career ATP titles since his debut. Coached by Ivan Ljubicic and Severin Luthi, Federer turned pro in 1998. Federer became the oldest World No. 1 at the age of 36 in 2018. Twenty-time Grand Slam champion Federer has never retired in 1,526 singles matches. The Swiss icon has played 223 doubles matches in his career.