Roger Federer tore a page from Serena Williams and bowed out of professional tennis in a hearty open letter to his fans and the industry. However, the fixtures listed below mean we get to see one of tennis’s greatest players out on the court one last time.
Why did Roger Federer retire from tennis?
The Swiss tennis legend sent shockwaves reverberating across the metaverse when he took to social media to announce his decision to exit professional tennis.
The 41-year-old, after an elustrious 24-year career, yielded to his body’s capabilities and limits weeks before the ATP events taking place in September and October 2022.
“Tennis has treated me more generously than I ever would have dreamt, and now I must recognise when it is time to end my competitive career,” he wrote.
Federer’s last professional appearance was at the 2021 US Open, which he bowed out of in the quarterfinals due to an injury on his right knee. The Swiss champion underwent his third surgery on the same knee in 18 months, effectively taking him out of the game.
At the time, Federer had hopes of making a grand return at the ATP event and while he’s honoured his goal, this will be his victory lap.
“This is a bittersweet decision, because I will miss everything the tour has given me. But at the same time, there is so much to celebrate. I consider myself one of the most fortunate people on Earth. i was given a special talent to play tennis, and I did it at a level I never imagined., for much longer than i ever thought possible,” Federer reflected.
The 41-year-old signed off his open letter with a final salute to tennis:
“I love you and will never leave you.”
Here are the last remaining Roger Federer fixtures
Roger Federer may be retired, but he still has one last go at a the ATP events taking place between September and October 2022. The Swiss legend will only partake in the 2022 Laver Cup, taking place in London, between 23 – 25 September 2022.
Federer will, for one last time since the competition’s inception in 2017, join Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Any Murray as Team Europe ina two-day contest against six of the world’s best players, or Team World.
The first 2022 Laver Cup fixture takes place on Friday, 23 September 2022 and the action is expected to get underway from 14:00. Information on Federer’s starting times were not available at the time this article was published.
Reactions to Federer’s retirement
Federer’s retirement announcement was the talk of social media, with scores of the Swiss legend’s fans paying tribute to his elustrious 24-year career.
Federer exits the sport with:
- 20 Grand Slam titles;
- Eight Wimbledons;
- Two Olympic medals;
- Five ITF World Championships; and
- 103 ATP titles.
Here are some of the best tributes we picked out: