Roger Federer retirement: Tennis legend reveals farewell tournament
Novak Djokovic had been conspicuous by his absence among the tributes to retiring tennis superstar Roger Federer.
Novak Djokovic paid a warm tribute to his rival Roger Federer, saying they had enjoyed “a decade of incredible moments and battles” after the Swiss great’s announcement that he will retire after the Laver Cup this month.
Djokovic, reacting 24 hours after Federer said he was quitting, said on social media: “Your career has set the tone for what it means to achieve excellence and lead with integrity and poise.
“It’s an honour to know you on and off court, and for many more years to come.”
On Thursday, Federer admitted his battles with a knee problem had forced him to call time on a historic career that has yielded 20 Grand Slam titles and earned him a reputation as one of the most elegant players the game has ever seen.
Djokovic, who is six years younger than Federer and has collected Grand Slam titles as the Swiss player’s powers have dimmed, had been conspicuous by his absence among the tributes on Thursday.
But a day later he said: “Roger, it’s hard to see this day and put into words all that we’ve shared in this sport together.”
The duo played 17 matches at Grand Slam tournaments, including five finals, with Djokovic leading that head-to-head 11-6.
‘AN HONOUR’: KRYGIOS’ TRIBUTE TO FEDERER
Nick Kyrgios has joined the tributes from tennis rivals to Roger Federer after he Swiss champion confirmed he will retire from tennis after one more tournament.
“The Laver Cup next week in London will be my final ATP event,” he said in a statement posted on his Twitter account.
Kyrgios posted a photo of the pair on his Instagram account with the message: “no one will ever play the game like you. enjoy it @rogerfederer … … was an honour.”
The 41-year-old winner of 20 Grand Slam titles has been out of action since a quarter-final loss at Wimbledon in 2021, after which he underwent his third knee surgery in 18 months.
Federer said that his body had effectively told him it was time to bring the curtain down.
To my tennis family and beyond,
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) September 15, 2022
With Love,
Roger pic.twitter.com/1UISwK1NIN
â¤ï¸ pic.twitter.com/YxtVWrlXIF
— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) September 15, 2022
“I’ve worked hard to return to full competitive form,” he wrote. “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 recognise when it is time to end my competitive career.”
Federer’s announcement comes just weeks after Serena Williams hung up her racquet after a stellar career.
20 WEIRD AND WONDERFUL STATS ABOUT ROGER FEDERER
1 Federer’s father, Robert, is Swiss, but his mother, Lynnette, hails from Johannesburg, South Africa, where she had been a highly promising hockey player in her youth.
2 He avoided compulsory military service in Switzerland, first because of a back injury, then later after the personal intervention of the country’s sports minister, who agreed that he could teach sport as part of the civil protection force instead.
3 Federer’s wife, Mirka, is a former professional tennis player. They met while competing for Switzerland at the Olympic Games in Sydney in 2000.
4 The couple have two sets of twins, sisters Myla and Charlene, 13, and brothers Leo and Lenny, eight.
5 As a junior player, Federer was notoriously short-tempered on court. “My parents felt embarrassed,” he said. “I was maybe 19 when I finally started improving that segment of my game.”
6 After winning his first grand-slam tournament, at Wimbledon in 2003, Switzerland’s tennis authorities honoured his achievement by giving him a cow, named Juliette.
7 In his first appearance at Wimbledon, aged 17 in 1999, Federer was beaten in the first round by Jiri Novak, six years his senior. Novak retired 15 years ago.
8 At Wimbledon in 2001, Federer thwarted Pete Sampras’s quest to win a fifth consecutive Wimbledon title, which would have equalled Bjorn Borg’s record. Sampras was beaten in five sets in the fourth round before Federer lost to Tim Henman in the quarter-finals.
9 His first match victory at a major tournament was in the 2000 Australian Open, where he beat Michael Chang in straight sets. Chang, now 50, had won the French Open in 1989.
—10 In the 2011 Leader RepTrak, in which the Reputation Institute assesses the reputations of the world’s most visible public figures, Federer was ranked second. He was behind only Nelson Mandela and ahead of Bill Gates, in third, and Queen Elizabeth II, in tenth.
11 There are streets named after him — Roger Federer Allee — both in Halle, Germany, where he competed frequently, and Biel, in Switzerland, home of the national tennis centre where he trained as a junior.
12 Every year since 2012, he has been in the top ten of Forbes magazine’s list of the world’s highest-paid athletes. He was top in 2020, with earnings of $106.3 million (£92.6 million), and seventh this year, with $90.7 million (£79 million).
thank you @rogerfederer for elevating the game in so many ways on and off the court. thank you for all the advice you’ve given me over the years. thank you for being the best role model for so many. thank you for everything ðŸ#RForeverpic.twitter.com/akAs4fso7W
— Coco Gauff (@CocoGauff) September 15, 2022
13 He was voted most the stylish man of the decade by GQ magazine in 2019, edging out the likes of David Beckham and Justin Bieber.
14 Federer lost 11 grand-slam finals. Six of those defeats were to Rafael Nadal, four to Novak Djokovic and one to Juan Martín del Potro.
15 He won only one Olympic gold medal, in the 2008 men’s doubles, partnering Stan Wawrinka. His best performance in the singles was a silver medal at London in 2012, when he was beaten in the final by Andy Murray.
16 His best result in a grand-slam doubles tournament came at Wimbledon in 2000, when he was only 18, reaching the quarter-finals with Andrew Kratzmann, from Australia.
The GOAT.
— Dylan Alcott (@DylanAlcott) September 15, 2022
A legend on the court and an even better bloke off it.
Changed the game forever. Big love for everything mate â¤ï¸ @rogerfedererpic.twitter.com/3yWZjSEj7k
17 He won the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award, voted for each year by fellow professionals on the ATP Tour, a record 13 times. He won it every year from 2004-17 bar one
18 He was a vegetarian until he was 16. He began eating meat at the behest of Marc Rosset, his Davis Cup teammate.
19 He is a fan of the music of AC/DC, the Australian rock band, as well as Lenny Kravitz.
20 His charity, the Roger Federer Foundation, has raised millions of pounds to fund educational projects for disadvantaged children in South Africa and Switzerland.
NADAL’S EMOTIONAL TRIBUTE TO ‘AMAZING’ ROGER
“The last 24 years on tour have been an incredible adventure. While it sometimes feels like it went by in 24 hours, it has also been so deep and magical that it seems as if I’ve already lived a full lifetime.
“I have had the immense fortune to play in front of you in over 40 different countries. I have laughed and cried, felt joy and pain, and most of all I have felt incredibly alive. Through my travels, I have met many wonderful people who will remain friends for life, who consistently took time out of their busy schedules to come watch me play and cheer me on around the globe. Thank you.
Dear Roger,my friend and rival.
— Rafa Nadal (@RafaelNadal) September 15, 2022
I wish this day would have never come. It’s a sad day for me personally and for sports around the world.
It’s been a pleasure but also an honor and privilege to share all these years with you, living so many amazing moments on and off the court 👇ðŸ»
“When my love of tennis started, I was a ball kid in my hometown of Basel. I used to watch the players with a sense of wonder. They were like giants to me and I began to dream.
“My dreams led me to work harder and I started to believe in myself. Some success brought me confidence and I was on my way to the most amazing journey that has led to this day.
“So, I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart, to everyone around the world who has helped make the dreams of a young Swiss ball kid come true.
“Finally, to the game of tennis: I love you and will never leave you.”
The GOAT.
— Dylan Alcott (@DylanAlcott) September 15, 2022
A legend on the court and an even better bloke off it.
Changed the game forever. Big love for everything mate â¤ï¸ @rogerfedererpic.twitter.com/3yWZjSEj7k
Roger - you have always been such a huge inspiration to me. Your elegance, your grace, your beautiful game. I have always held you in the highest regard and want to congratulate you for an amazing career. Tennis won’t be the same without you! Thank you â¤ï¸@rogerfedererpic.twitter.com/tAGirtB5m4
— Petra Kvitova (@Petra_Kvitova) September 15, 2022
Thank you @rogerfederer. You’re an inspiration for us all. Good luck for everything ahead! pic.twitter.com/vseP0rnFV4
— Jannik Sinner (@janniksin) September 15, 2022
Class is permanent ♾
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) September 15, 2022
Thank you for all the memories Down Under, @rogerfederer.
With love always, your Happy Slam 💙 pic.twitter.com/1nYl8L8Ptf
Roger,
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) September 15, 2022
Where do we begin?
It's been a privilege to witness your journey and see you become a champion in every sense of the word.
We will so miss the sight of you gracing our courts, but all we can say for now is thank you, for the memories and joy you have given to so many. pic.twitter.com/VDWylKvW86
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