Roger Federer, a 20-time Grand Slam singles champion, on Thursday caught the tennis and sports world by surprise by announcing his retirement. Federer announced that next week's Laver Cup would be his final ATP event.
"Tennis has treated me more generously than I ever would have dreamt and now I must recognise when it's time to end my competitive career. The Laver Cup next week in London will be my final ATP event. I will play more tennis in the future, of course, but just not in Grand Slams or on the Tour," Federer said in a ststement.
Federer, who made his professional debut aged 16 in 1998, has struggled with a knee problem for the past three years. He has not played a competitive match since losing in the quarter-finals at Wimbledon last summer.
Roger Federer, born in Basel, Switzerland, in 1981, earned six Australian Open triumphs, the 2009 Roland Garros title, eight Wimbledon trophies and five consecutive US Open victories (2004-08).
Top Facts On Roger Federer's Tennis Career
- Total Grand Slam titles: 20
- Total career titles won: 103
- World No.1 for 237 consecutive weeks
- Overall weeks he was a World No.1: 310
- Oldest men's tennis player to be active in ATP rankings: 41 years
- Federer became the oldest World No. 1 in the history of the ATP Rankings on February 19, 2018, at age 36.
- Only player to thrice reach four grand slam finals in same season
- Most Wimbledon titles: 8
- Federer never retired or gave walk over from a game in his career.
- Only player to win five US Open titles in a row
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