Roger Federer, 20-time Grand Slam champion, retiring from competitive tennis

Roger Federer is retiring from competitive tennis.

The Swiss dynamo, widely considered among the greatest players of all time, plans to retire after next week’s Laver Cup, he said on social media.

“As many of you know, the past three years have presented me with challenges in the form of injuries and surgeries,” Federer said in a statement. “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 1500 matches over 24 years. Tennis has treated me more generously than I ever would have dreamt, and now I must recognize when it is time to end my competitive career.”

In the lengthy statement, the 41-year-old called the decision “bittersweet,” and thanked his wife, Mirka, his parents and sister and his coaching and training team. He also thanked his sponsors, his tennis rivals and “above all,” his fans.

“You will never know how much strength and belief you have given me,” he said. “The inspiring feeling of walking into full stadiums and arenas has been one of the huge thrills in my life. Without you, those successes would have felt lonely, rather than filled with joy and energy.

Federer leaves competitive tennis as a 20-time Grand Slam champion, third all-time among men’s players behind only his peers and rivals Rafael Nadal (22) and Novak Djokovic (21).

He said he intends to keep playing tennis, “but just not in Grand Slams or on the tour.”

Federer has not played a competitive match since reaching the quarterfinals at Wimbledon in 2021. He had knee surgery in mid-August, the latest in growing number of procedures.

Overall, Federer was ranked the ATP world No. 1 for 310 weeks, including a record 237 consecutive weeks, and finished as the year-end No. 1 five times.

He has won 103 ATP singles titles, the second most of all time, including a record eight men’s singles Wimbledon titles, five men’s singles US Open titles, six Australian Open titles and the 2009 French Open.

He also won two Olympic medals: Doubles gold in Beijing in 2008 and singles silver in London in 2012.

Federer, Nadal and Djokovic, along with Andy Murray, are set to play together for the first time when they compete Sept. 23-25 as part of Team Europe at the Laver Cup in London.

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