The Retirement of a GOAT

BY CHRISTINA GU ‘24

On Saturday, September 24, 2022, one of the greatest tennis players of all time retired from the sport. 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer officially announced his withdrawal from the ATP tour and all Grand Slams following the Laver Cup this weekend.

Roger Federer was born on August 8th, 1981 in Switzerland and is currently 41 years old. He started playing professionally in 1998 at 17 years old. During Federer’s 24-year professional career, he ranked worldwide for a collective number of 310 weeks. He has won 103 ATP singles titles, including 20 Grand Slam singles titles, and set a record of eight Wimbledon titles, five US Open titles, and six year-end championships. In total, Federer has won 1251 career matches for an overall win percentage of 82%. He is known for his success on grass courts where he overpowered his opponents with his speedy reaction time. Federer is a well-rounded player with an extremely strong forehand, though it is his unbelievable technical skills that separate him from his competition.

Federer injured his right knee during the 2020 Australian Open, and he has undergone three surgeries for it since. He took a break from competitive tennis after Wimbledon in 2021, but he was set to return this month to play on Team Europe in the Laver Cup. Prior to the Laver Cup, many reports suggested that Federer may have to miss the competition due to his knee pain. The Swiss media outlet reported that Federer had “liquid in his right knee and it has become inflamed.” Federer made his retirement announcement a week before the Laver Cup, stating that “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." 

On Saturday, Federer returned to play men’s doubles, partnering with his long-time rival and friend Rafael Nadal. The pair played a close match with Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe from the United States, but ultimately, they lost 9 -11 in the 10-point match tiebreaker. With support from tennis players and fans around the world, this match was the last of his professional career. Along with the retirement of Serena Williams last month, his retirement marks the end of an era in professional tennis.