Legendary Swiss athlete Roger Feder says goodbye to the sport that turned him into a legend.
Earlier today, Federer, 41, took to Twitter to announce his decision to walk away from his professional sporting career through a video clip.
“I am 41 years old; I have played more than 1,500 matches over 24 years,” Federer said in a clip posted on Twitter. “Tennis has treated me more generously than I ever would have dreamed, and now I must recognize when it is time to end my competitive career.”
This comes after dealing with three years full of physical challenges, including injuries and surgeries as he enters his early 40s.
'To my tennis family and beyond, of all the gifts that tennis has given me over the years, the greatest, without a doubt, has been the people I've met along the way: my friends, my competitors, and most of all the fans who give the sport its life,' Federer said.
However, Roger did confirm that he will participate in his last competitive sets in next week's Laver Cup.
And speaking of competition, guess who was quick to come out and express his gratitude for the legendary career of Federer?
Yup, none other than the Spanish Tennis legend, Rafael Nadal.
Over the years, both Nadal and Federer have been at the peak of this sport in many ways. Both always producing legendary match-ups between the two, though Nadal leads their head-to-head meetings with a 24-16 overall record.
Nonetheless, Nadal expressed his ultimate respect and sadness to see his friend retire from the game of Tennis.
“It’s a sad day for me personally and for sports around the world,” Nadal said on Twitter, referring to Federer as a friend and rival and saying it was a privilege to share “so many amazing moments on and off the court.”
