Tennis champion Roger Federer has announced his retirement after being faced with challenges in the form of “injuries and surgeries”.
The 41-year-old said in a video message posted to Twitter that he “must recognise when it is time to end my competitive career”.
Federer has won 20 Grand Slams, including eight Wimbledon titles. His last Grand Slam title was the Australian Open in 2018.
He will stop playing competitively after the Laver Cup later this month – held at the O2 arena in London.
He said: “Today, I want to share some news with all of you. As many of you know, the past three years have presented me with challenges in the form of injuries and surgeries.
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.
“I am 41 years old. I have played more than 1,500 matches over 24 years. 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.
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“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.”
Federer has not competed since Wimbledon in July 2021 following an operation to repair his meniscus and cartilage in his right knee – his third on that knee in the span of a year and a half.
It comes days after the end of the US Open, which was expected to be the last tournament of 23-time major champion Serena Williams’ career.
Federer’s achievements in numbers
• 20 – Grand Slam titles
• 31 – Final appearances
• 23 – Consecutive appearances in Grand Slam semi-finals from 2004 to 2010, an all-time record
• 8 – Wimbledon titles, the most of any man
• 1,251 – Career matches won out of 1,526
• 369 – Match wins in grand slams
• 310 – Weeks spent at world number one, 237 of them consecutively
• 5 – Federer has reached the final at every Grand Slam at least five times
• 103 – Career titles, second in the Open era behind Jimmy Connors
• 65 – Consecutive matches won on grass from 2003 to 2008
• 2 – Olympic medals: gold in doubles with Stan Warwrinka in 2008 and silver in singles in 2012
• £113,577,897 – Career prize money
