20 Grand Slams, 310 weeks at No. classification world, one of the best of all time: At the age of 41, Roger Federer announced his retirement from tennis and the end of his sports career. The Swiss tennis player revealed the decision this Thursday, through social networks, in an extensive publication in which he assures that the Laver Cup next week will be the last tournament he will play.
“To all my tennis family and everyone else. Of all the gifts that tennis has given me over the years, the greatest, without a doubt, has been the people I have met along the way: my friends, my opponents and, above all, the fans that give life to tennis. sport. Today I want to share some news with you, ”he began by saying, and then justified the decision. “As many of you know, the last three years have brought me challenges in the form of injuries and surgeries. I worked hard to get back to the best competitive form. But I also know the capabilities and limits of my body, and its message lately has been clear. I am 41 years old. I played over 1,500 games over 24 years. Tennis has treated me more generously than I could have ever dreamed of and now I must admit that the time has come to end my career,” Federer continued.
—Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) September 15, 2022
Later, the Swiss tennis player explains that it is a “bittersweet decision”. “I will miss everything the circuit has given me. But at the same time, there is much to celebrate. I consider myself one of the luckiest people in the world. I was blessed with this talent to play tennis and I did it at a level I never imagined, for much longer than I thought possible.” “Next week’s Laver Cup in London will be my last ATP Tour event. I will play tennis again in the future, of course, but not at a Grand Slam or on the tour,” he said.
“I would like to thank my opponents. I was lucky enough to play countless epic matches that I will never forget. We fight cleanly, with passion and intensity, and I have always done my best to respect the history of the sport. I feel extremely grateful. We push each other and together we take tennis to another level, ”reads the extensive statement, where Federer also leaves thanks to his family, particularly his wife and parents, as well as the sponsors and fans. of the.
“I’m not looking for a fairy tale ending.” Federer and the day of goodbye that still has no date, elegance and desire to “be normal”
“When my love for tennis started, I was just a baseball catcher from Basel. I used to look at tennis players with a sense of wonder. They were like giants to me and I began to dream. My dreams led me to work harder and I began to believe in myself. Some success gave me confidence and I was on my way to the most extraordinary adventure that has brought me to this day. So I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart, all those around the world who helped make the dreams of a young Swiss ball boy come true. Finally, to tennis: I love you and I will never leave you”, concludes the tennis player.
Roger Federer has won 20 Grand Slams throughout his career, a number second only to Nadal’s 22 and Djokovic’s 21, including a record eight Wimbledons unmatched by any other tennis player. was number 1 classification world championship for 310 weeks, including 237 consecutive, and together with Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic he was part of the big three tennis, the three most successful names in the history of the sport. In addition to eight Wimbledons, six Australian Opens, five US Opens and one Roland Garros, the Swiss has won the ATP Finals six times and also won a silver medal at the London Olympics in 2012, and a gold. in the couples tournament in Beijing. Games in 2008.
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Last year he missed the Australian Open due to knee surgery but appeared at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, having retired before the round of 16 in France and being eliminated in the quarter-finals in England. In August 2021, he announced that he would not attend the next US Open and revealed further knee surgery. guaranteeing that he would be far from the courts for some time, but leaving the indication that he intended to return to the circuit in 2022.
This year, in June, he dropped out of the top 50 of classificationsomething that had not happened since the year 2000. A month later, he was even excluded from the classification ATP for the first time since 1997. Now, 25 years after making his tour debut and 19 years after winning his first Grand Slam, Roger Federer will leave the courts. But he leaves them filled with much more talent.
Source: Observadora
