Considered one of the best tennis players of all time, Roger Federer announced his retirement today at the age of 41, after 24 years of his career. Looking ahead to his last tournament, the Laver Cup, the former tennis player confirmed the least desired news on social networks.
“Next week's Laver Cup in London will be my last ATP event. I will play more tennis in the future, of course. But not in Grand Slams or on the circuit”, he said in a letter that he published on his social networks along with a video.
Winner of 20 Grand Slams, The Swiss was number one in the world for 310 weeks (237 consecutive and record) between five different periods (record), won Olympic gold in doubles in Beijing 2008 and played more than 1500 matches. Among these, 1251 wins and 275 losses stand out.
Counting China's major titles and gold medal, he achieved 103 in total, including the 2014 David Cup with his country. “Of all the gifts that tennis has given me over the years, the best of all, without a doubt, has been the people I have crossed paths with. “My friends, my rivals, and above all the fans who give life to the sport”, he added in a fragment of his letter.
Among all the greetings from colleagues, rivals, athletes from other disciplines, friends and family, there is one that stands out above the rest. That is the one of the Jewish Argentine tennis player Diego Schwartzman. Below is the image from the Instagram story that “Peque” published today.
He is the only player in history to achieve five or more stars in three of the four Majors (six Australian Opens, eight Wimbledons and five US Opens). However, injuries in the last three years kept him away from the courts and from the ATP ranking.. Without a doubt, the athlete leaves, but the legend begins.