Twenty Grand Slam titles and an indelible mark on tennis history: at 41, the Swiss legend Roger Federer announced on Thursday his withdrawal at the end of the Laver Cupa competition that will be held in London from September 23 to 25.
Less than a month after Serena Williamsanother monument of the game announces that he is leaving tennis, at the same time that a new generation embodied by the Spanish is advancing Carlos Alcarazrecent winner of the US Open and world number one at only 19 years old.
“The Laver Cupnext week in London, will be my last ATP event,” the 41-year-old Swiss, who won 20 Grand Slam titles during his long career. “I will continue playing tennis in the future, for sure, but it will no longer be in Grand Slam tournaments or on the circuit,” concluded Federer, winner of 103 trophies in his career, but who only played six games in 2020 and thirteen in 2021.
The Swiss has not played tennis since his elimination in the Wimbledon quarterfinals, in 2021, due to his knee problems, and he has been filtering his doubts about his chances of returning to the courts for several months.- “A decision bittersweet,” he added.
This is how the world reacted
the spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal has made clear his sadness by the withdrawal of the Swiss
Roger Federer, his great rival on the courts for almost two decades, with a message on social networks.
“Dear Roger, my friend and rival,” writes Nadal. “I wish this day had never come. It is a sad day for me personally and for the whole world. It has been a pleasure, but also an honor and a privilege to share all these years with you, living so many incredible moments on and off the pitch,” he adds. “We will have many moments to share together in the future.
There are many things to do together, we know. For now, I wish you all the happiness in the world with your wife Mirka, your children and family. I hope you enjoy what comes now in your life. see you in London in the Laver Cup”, underlined the Spanish tennis player.
Meanwhile, the Argentine Juan Martin del Potro regretted the farewell announcement of Swiss Roger Federder, former number one in the world, whom he thanked for everything he had done for the sport. “I love you, Roger. Thank you for everything you have done in tennis and with myself. The world of tennis will never be the same without you,” Del Potro indicates on social networks, who also had to leave tennis this 2022 weighed down for injuries
Del Potro coincided numerous times on the track with Roger Federer. In total, they met twenty-five times, with eighteen wins for the Swiss player. In fact, the only Grand Slam title achieved by the Argentine was at the US Open, in 2009. In the final he beat Roger Federer in five sets. The last time they met was at the Masters 1,000 in Indian Welles, in 2018. The victory also went to the South American.
The director of the Davis Cup final phase, David Ferrercommented after learning of Roger Federer’s announcement of retiring at the end of the Laver Cup, which will be held in London from the 23rd to the 25th of this month, that it is “a sad day for tennis”, since he considered that one of the the most important and influential players in the history of this sport.
“It is a sad day for tennis, without a doubt, although we knew it was going to happen because Roger had not competed for a long time, I did not expect that day to be today and I feel a little stunned but also grateful for everything that has given to tennis,” he said in a statement made available to the media.
EFE
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