Roger Federer is calling it a career.
The 20-time men’s singles Grand Slam champion announced his retirement Thursday at 41 years old, saying next week’s Laver Cup in London will be his final ATP event.
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“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 said.
Federer began his career in 1998, and the list of his tennis accolades is endless.
He is third on the all-time list for Grand Slam titles in men’s singles, trailing Rafael Nadal (22) and Novak Djokovic (21). Eight of those came at Wimbledon, where he won five straight years from 2003 to 2007. He also won five consecutive U.S. Open titles from 2004 through 2008. He has one French Open title and six Australian Open victories.
The Swiss star was the top-ranked player in the world for 237 weeks at his apex, holding the spot from Feb. 2, 2004 through Aug. 17, 2008. In all, he spent 310 weeks as the No. 1 player in the world.
As he cited in his retirement announcement, injuries hampered Federer through the tail end of his career. He suffered a torn meniscus in 2016 that kept him out of the Rio Olympics and cut his season short. He managed to win three more Grand Slams after his recovery, but the number of injuries have piled up even more in recent years.
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He has not played since last year’s Wimbledon. He appeared at the All England Club in July and said he was hoping to compete on the grass courts “one more time,” but his recent ailments signaled the end of a historic career.
“As many of you know, the past three years have presented me with challenges in the form of injuries and surgeries,” he 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.”
Federer’s announcement comes days after the conclusion of the 2022 U.S. Open, which was expected to be Serena Williams’ final event.
