Switzerland’s tennis great Roger Federer announced his retirement from professional tennis on Thursday. Federer’s last appearance in competitive tennis will be the Laver Cup 2022, that takes place between September 23-25. The tennis legend will end his career with 20 Grand Slam titles to his name that include 8 titles in Wimbledon. Widely regarded as one of the greats of the game, Federer is among the select few players who retire with a career slam.
As Federer draws curtain on a brilliant tennis career, tributes poured in from all corners of the world for the Swiss. India’s cricketing great Sachin Tendulkar, who has often expressed his admiration for Federer, took to his official Twitter profile to pay a rich tribute to the 41-year-old star.
“What a career, @rogerfederer. We fell in love with your brand of tennis. Slowly, your tennis became a habit. And habits never retire, they become a part of us. Thank you for all the wonderful memories,” Tendulkar wrote.
Tendulkar had met Federer for the first time in 2011 at the sidelines of Wimbledon, and the two have had multiple interactions on Twitter since then. On one occasion, Tendulkar had even asked Federer to “exchange notes on cricket and tennis” as he quoted a video of the Swiss star play-acting a cricketing shot.
Federer, in turn, replied, “why wait? I’m ready to take notes!”
Earlier, Federer, in his retirement statement, insisted that injuries had forced him to take the call. “As many of you know, the past three years have presented me with challenges in the form of injuries and surgeries. 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,” Federer wrote.
