Roger Federer, one of many world’s most embellished male tennis athletes, will play the final recreation of his skilled profession on the Laver Cup in London on Friday.
The 41-year-old Swiss participant, famend for his swish one-handed backhand, started taking part in tennis on the age of eight, rising to turn out to be one in every of tennis historical past’s best gamers. He has received 103 ATP Tour titles, together with 20 Grand Slams.
In a press release shared on his social media on September 15, Federer mentioned, “I’ve performed greater than 1,500 matches over 24 years. Tennis has handled me extra generously than I ever would have dreamed, and now I have to recognise when it’s time to finish my aggressive profession.”
Key dates of illustrious profession
- In 1995, aged 14, Federer was accepted by the nationwide improvement programme of Swiss Tennis.
- In 1998, he made his debut on the Swiss Open as a professional participant.
- In 2000, Federer competed on the Olympic Video games in Sydney, the place he reached the semi-finals and met his spouse Mirka Vavrinec.
- In 2003, he received his first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon and in 2004 he received the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open. It was additionally in 2004 that Federer turned world primary in tennis – holding the place for 237 weeks till 2008.
- In 2006, Federer reached the ultimate of all 4 Grand Slams, successful three of them.
- In 2009, he captured his fifteenth Grand Slam, beating the earlier report held by Pete Sampras, from the USA. In the identical yr, he married Vavrinec and welcomed the start of twins.
- In 2018, Federer received his twentieth Grand Slam title.
Federer in contrast with tennis greats
Although skilled on many surfaces, Federer is thought for being a tour de drive at Wimbledon, the one Grand Slam occasion performed on grass. He received eight of his 20 Grand Slam titles there, surpassing Sampras’s report of seven.
In contrast with different male tennis gamers, Federer has the third most Grand Slam titles behind Spain’s Rafael Nadal, who holds 22, and Serbian Novak Djokovic with 21.
Federer has appeared in 31 Grand Slam finals, one behind Djokovic with 32. Federer’s final Grand Slam last was at Wimbledon in 2019, the place he narrowly misplaced to Djokovic in a five-set match that lasted slightly below 5 hours.
Federer has held the primary rating in males’s tennis for a complete of 310 weeks, behind Djokovic who has spent 373 weeks at primary. From 2004 to 2008, Federer held the primary rating for 237 consecutive weeks.
Of the gamers at the moment nonetheless on tour, Federer has received probably the most ATP Tour singles titles with 103 below his belt. Nadal has received 92 and Djokovic 88.
Federer’s play in numbers
With a profession spanning greater than 1,500 video games, Federer has a few of the greatest statistics in tennis historical past, together with:
- 11,478 aces
- 18,872 service video games
- 89 % of service video games received
- 18,475 return video games performed
- 27 % of return video games received
Basis
In 2003, the tennis celebrity established the Roger Federer Basis with the intention of serving to youngsters dwelling in poverty in African nations to obtain an training.
Based on the inspiration, it has spent $70.5m on initiatives offering bodily and monetary help at 9,300 main colleges and preschools.
Response to retirement
Athletes from all over the world heaped reward on Federer following the announcement of his retirement.
Rafael Nadal
“I want today would have by no means come. It’s a tragic day for me personally and for sports activities all over the world. It’s been a pleasure but additionally an honour and privilege to share all these years with you, dwelling so many wonderful moments on and off the courtroom.
“We can have many extra moments to share collectively sooner or later, there are nonetheless a number of issues to do collectively, we all know that. For now, I really want you all of the happiness along with your spouse, Mirka, your youngsters, your loved ones and revel in what’s forward of you.”
Pricey Roger,my buddy and rival.
I want today would have by no means come. It’s a tragic day for me personally and for sports activities all over the world.
It’s been a pleasure but additionally an honor and privilege to share all these years with you, dwelling so many wonderful moments on and off the courtroom 👇🏻— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) September 15, 2022
Novak Djokovic
“Roger it’s exhausting to see today and put into phrases all that we’ve shared on this sport collectively. Over a decade of unimaginable moments and battles to suppose again on. Your profession has set the tone for what it means to realize excellence and lead with integrity and poise.
“It’s an honour to know you on and off courtroom, and for a few years to return. I do know that this new chapter will maintain wonderful issues for you, Mirka, the youngsters, all of your family members, and Roger followers nonetheless have lots to look ahead to.
“From our household to yours, we want you a lot pleasure, well being, and prosperity sooner or later.”
Serena Williams
“I needed to search out the right approach to say this, as you so eloquently put this recreation to relaxation – completely performed, identical to your profession.
“I’ve at all times regarded as much as you and admired you. Our paths had been at all times so comparable, a lot the identical. You impressed numerous hundreds of thousands and hundreds of thousands of individuals – together with me – and we are going to always remember.
Carlos Alcaraz
“Roger has been one in every of my idols and a supply of inspiration! Thanks for every little thing you might have performed for our sport! I nonetheless wish to play with you! Want you all of the luck on the planet for what comes subsequent!”
Iga Swiatek
“I simply wish to thanks for every little thing you’ve performed and every little thing you’re for our sport. It’s been a privilege to witness your profession. I want you all one of the best.”
Sachin Tendulkar
“What a profession, Roger Federer. We fell in love along with your model of tennis. Slowly, your tennis turned a behavior. And habits by no means retire, they turn out to be part of us. Thanks for all of the great recollections.”
Hardik Pandya
“Congratulations on an excellent profession.”
Congratulations on an excellent profession 🙌 #RogerFederer pic.twitter.com/mG8bHZQwqA
— hardik pandya (@hardikpandya7) September 15, 2022
