Roger Federer's glittering tennis career will come to a close next week in London. The 20-time Grand Slam champion announced on Thursday that he will retire from professional tennis after the fifth edition of the Laver Cup, which will be held at the O2 Arena from Sept. 23-25.
As of Thursday's announcement, Federer hadn't played a competitive match in more than a year since losing to Poland's Hubert Hurkacz in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon in 2021; a knee injury that necessitated multiple surgeries halted the now-41-year-old's efforts to play in the last three seasons. He underwent three surgeries on his knee in an 18-month span, with the third coming last August.
"As many of you know, the past three years have presented me with challenges in the form of injuries and surgeries," Federer said. "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 recognize when it is time to end my competitive career."
Attending the 100th anniversary celebration for Wimbledon's storied Centre Court on July 3, Federer seemed optimistic about his future—either on the court or off. “I hope I can come back ... one more time," he said then. "The knee has been rough on me, but I’ve been happy. I’ve been happy at home.”
In making the announcement, Federer posted a lengthy written message to his social media accounts that was also accompanied by a video message.
"I will play more tennis in the future, of course, but just not in Grand Slams or on the tour,” he wrote in part. “This is a bittersweet decision, because I will miss everything the tour has given me. But at the same time, there is so much to celebrate. I consider myself one of the most fortunate people on Earth. I was given a special talent to play tennis, and I did it at a level that I never imagined, for much longer than I ever thought possible."
Federer finishes his career with 20 Grand Slam singles titles, third all-time among men behind his longtime Big Three rivals Rafael Nadal (22) and Novak Djokovic (21), both of whom are still active on tour. His 103 career ATP singles titles is the second-most in the Open Era behind Jimmy Connors, and his 310 career weeks as the No. 1 ranked player in the world is second only to Djokovic; 237 of those weeks were consecutive, which is a record he currently still holds.
Federer recorded 1,251 tour-level wins during his career, which is also second in the Open Era behind Connors’ 1,274.
“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,” he added. “I was lucky enough to play so many epic matches that I will never forget."
