41-year-old Roger Federer has announced his plans to step away from the tennis court on Thursday, 15 September
The beloved athlete, whose amassed 20 Grand Slam titles over the course of his career, has announced that he’ll retire from ATP events after competing in London’s Laver Cup next week.
In a message to his tennis family, posted to Instagram on Sept. 15, Roger, 41, shared that his body is sending him a message following three years of injuries and surgeries.
“I have played more than 1500 matches over 24 years,” Roger wrote. “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.”
“I will play more tennis in the future, of course, but just not in Grand Slams or on the tour,” he noted. “This is a bittersweet decision, because I will miss everything the tour has given me. But at the same time, there is so much to celebrate.”
Roger—whose announcement comes amid Serena Williams’ own evolution away from the sport—went on to thank his family, including his “amazing” wife Mirka Federer and their four “wonderful” children for supporting him over the years.