Roger Federer announces his retirement from competitive tennis

The Swiss superstar plans to bid adieu at the age of 41.

The writing was already on the wall. Roger Federer's long absence from the tennis grounds had also given rise to speculations. This was the first time in his career that the superstar was missing in action from all Grand Slams in a calendar year. The knee injury had become a concern and worried his fans about his future. More so at 41 years of age, he wasn't getting any younger.

For the past three years, his appearances on the courts had also been limited. Till finally, the Swiss sensation broke his silence. Federer declared that the upcoming edition of the Laver Cup will be the last time his admirers will see him on the tennis courts of a Grand Slam or an ATP tour.

Roger's trophy-laden career has witnessed multiple moments that have left the tennis world astonished and awestruck. A career that spanned across generations would finally come to an end leaving a massive void in the tennis community. Roger has expressed his statement over a lengthy post on the social micro-blogging site, Twitter.

He says, " 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. 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. 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."

"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 that I never imagined, for much longer than I ever thought possible", said the tennis great reminiscing his prolific career.

Roger Federer's retirement would be another heavy loss as Serena Williams also announced her retirement a few days back. Federer played his last career match on July 7, 2021. A match in which he tasted defeat at the quarter-finals of Wimbledon to Hubert Hurkacz.