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A16 sports
Friday 16 September 2022
Roger Federer says he is retiring from pro tennis at age 41

By HOWARD FENDRICH year before in what turned
AP Tennis Writer out to be the last match of
Roger Federer is retiring the American's career.
from professional tennis Federer would go on to
at age 41 after a series of blow way past that, ending
knee operations, closing a up with 20 by winning eight
career in which he won 20 championships at Wimble-
Grand Slam titles, finished don, six at the Australian
five seasons ranked No. 1 Open, five at the U.S. Open
and helped create a gold- and one at the French
en era of men's tennis with Open. His 2009 trophy at
rivals Rafael Nadal and No- Roland Garros allowed Fe-
vak Djokovic. derer to complete a career
Federer posted what he Grand Slam.
called a "bittersweet de- His serving, forehand, foot-
cision" via both a written work and attacking style
statement and an audio will all be remembered.
clip on Thursday, less than Also unforgettable were his
two weeks after 23-time matches against younger ri-
major champion Serena vals Nadal, 36, and Djokov-
Williams played what is ic, 35, who both equalled,
expected to be the last then surpassed, Federer's
match of her career. Slam total and are still win-
Combined, the exits by two ning titles at the sport's four
of the greatest athletes in biggest tournaments.
their sport's history repre- "I wish this day would have
sent a significant turning of never come," Nadal said.
the page. "It's a sad day for me per-
"As many of you know, the sonally and for sports peo-
past three years have pre- ple around the world.
sented me with challenges I said it to you when we
in the form of injuries and spoke and now it's here. It's
surgeries. I've worked hard Switzerland's Roger Federer waves during a 100 years of Centre Court celebration on day seven been a pleasure but also
to return to full competitive of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, on July 3, 2022. an honor and privilege to
form," said Federer, who is Associated Press share all these years with
home in Switzerland. "But you, living so many amaz-
I also know my body's ca- by his management com- he's got things to do in his cluding reaching 10 con- ing moments on and off
pacities and limits, and its pany. next stage." secutive Grand Slam finals, the court."
message to me lately has "I knew a few weeks ago Federer and his wife, Mirka winning eight, from 2005- Nadal now leads the men's
been clear." that his rehabilitation with — a tennis player, too; they 07, a run that also extend- major championship count
Federer has not competed his knee wasn't going as met as athletes at an Olym- ed to 18 of 19 major finals with 22, one ahead of
anywhere since Wimble- well as he had hoped. A pics — have two sets of into 2010. Djokovic.
don in July 2021, and so, in few weeks after Wimble- twins, girls who are 13 and In a sport where changes "I was lucky enough to play
that sense, his news is not don, he informed me that boys who are 8. in surface and other con- so many epic matches
all that surprising. the knee was not reacting Federer leaves the sport ditions can make even the that I will never forget," Fe-
But he had appeared at an as well as it should and that with a total of 103 tour- best players thrilled with a derer said in Thursday's an-
event marking the 100-year he was thinking about fig- level titles on his substan- showing here or there into nouncement.
anniversary of Centre Court uring out a way to end his tial resume and 1,251 wins the second week of a Slam, Addressing his "competitors
at the All England Club this career," Tony Godsick, Fe- in singles matches, both Federer compiled streaks on the court" — although
July and said he hoped to derer's agent since 2005, second only to Jimmy Con- of 36 quarterfinals in a row not by name — he wrote:
return to play there "one said in a telephone inter- nors in the Open era, which and 23 semifinals in a row "We pushed each other,
more time." view Thursday. began in 1968. Federer's from 2004 to 2013. and together we took ten-
He also had said he would "I had suggested to him records include being the "Roger Federer is a cham- nis to new levels."
return to tournament ac- years ago that he should oldest No. 1 in ATP rankings pion's champion. He has Federer's last match any-
tion in his home country at stop. Not many tennis play- history — he returned to the the most complete game where came on July 7,
the Swiss Indoors in Octo- ers at his level push into top spot at 36 in 2018 — and of his generation and cap- 2021, when he lost at Cen-
ber. their 40s. But he was always most consecutive weeks tured the hearts of sports tre Court in the Wimbledon
In Thursday's announce- interested in challenging there (his total weeks mark fans around the world with quarterfinals to Hubert Hur-
ment, Federer said his fare- himself," Godsick said. "And was eclipsed by Djokovic). an amazing quickness on kacz 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-0.
well event will be the Laver at the end of the day, af- The dominance Federer the court and a powerful Soon after, Federer had sur-
Cup in London next week. ter 1,500-plus matches, the displayed at the height of tennis mind," Hall of Famer gery to repair damage to
That is a team event run tires finally wore out. And his powers is unrivaled, in- Billie Jean King said. "He has his meniscus and cartilage
had a historic career with in his right knee — his third
LIKE US ON memories that will live on operation on that knee in a
and on."
span of 1 1/2 years.
When Federer won his first "Tennis has treated me
Grand Slam title at Wim- more generously than I
bledon in 2003, the men's ever would have dreamt,"
record for most major tro- Federer said Thursday, "and
phies was held by Pete now I must recognize when
Facebook.com/arubatoday/ Sampras, who had won his it is time to end my com-
14th at the U.S. Open the petitive career."q