Tennis legend Roger Federer has announced on his social media that he is retiring from all formats of competitive tennis.

Few months a go, Tennis legend Roger Federer had dropped a huge retirement hint, admitting his time off the court the past 12 months due to a knee injury has seen him relish the daily aspects of fatherhood.

The Swiss maestro, 40, has four children and while he admitted he has missed travelling the world, the lifestyle change has been refreshing.

"I can honestly say that I am very happy at home,' Federer told Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad.

'At times we (family) miss travelling, and of course I also miss the sport, but life at home is also good.'

The tennis itinerary was sometimes excessive, especially with having to organise that for the children too.'

It's nice to have a break from that now, and for them too, although they miss the travelling.'

He has undergone three surgeries on his knee and will look to play in the Laver Cup in September.

Federer has enjoyed an astonishing career, with 103 ATP single titles, 20 grand slams and an Olympic silver medal.

Fellow veteran Rafael Nadal - who has won 22 career grand slams, including the Australian Open and French Open this year - expresed his sadness at a Wimbledon press conference that Federer wasn't competing.

'My greatest rival...all the things that we have shared together on court is difficult to describe the emotions,' he said.

'I personally miss him (Federer) on the tennis tour and tennis of course misses him, tournaments, fans, everyone.

'He's a well-missed player in every single event of tennis, without a doubt.'

Today Roger Federer announced on his Instagram that he has decided to hang his Tennis racket for the final time.

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Swiss tennis great Roger Federer wrote an emotional letter on the retirement of his close friend Rafael Nadal. Rafa, 22 Grand Slam winner, announced his retirement only last month at Davis Cup final in Málaga, Spain.

Also Read: Oldest Grand Slam Champion | Top 10 List

Federer, 43, who retired two years ago after winning 20 major titles, wrote, “As you get ready to graduate from tennis, I’ve got a few things to share before I maybe get emotional. Let’s start with the obvious: you beat me—a lot. More than I managed to beat you. You challenged me in ways no one else could. On clay, it felt like I was stepping into your backyard, and you made me work harder than I ever thought I could just to hold my ground. You made me reimagine my game—even going so far as to change the size of my racquet head, hoping for any edge,” 

Federer recalled their first meeting

Federer and Nadal had the greatest rivalry in the history of the sport. They first faced each other in Miami in 2004, where the Spaniard defeated then world No. 1 Federer 6-3, 6-3 in the round of 32.

Recalling their first meeting, Federer said, “OK, maybe not at first. After the 2004 Australian Open, I achieved the #1 ranking for the first time. I thought I was on top of the world. And I was—until two months later, when you walked on the court in Miami in your red sleeveless shirt, showing off those biceps, and you beat me convincingly. All that buzz I’d been hearing about you—about this amazing young player from Mallorca, a generational talent, probably going to win a major someday—it wasn’t just hype."

Federer praised Nadal's skills on clay and thanked him for making him a better player. He wrote, “We were both at the start of our journey and it’s one we ended up taking together. Twenty years later, Rafa, I have to say: What an incredible run you’ve had. Including 14 French Opens—historic! You made Spain proud… you made the whole tennis world proud."

The 'Fedal' rivalry

Notably, the 'Fedal' rivalry has seen some of the most spectacular tennis matches, including the Wimbledon 2008 final, in which Nadal defeated Federer 6-4, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-7(8), 9-7. In total, they faced each other 40 times, with Nadal holding the head-to-head record 24–16.

“I keep thinking about the memories we’ve shared. Promoting the sport together. Playing that match on half-grass, half-clay. Breaking the all-time attendance record by playing in front of more than 50,000 fans in Cape Town, South Africa. Always cracking each other up. Wearing each other out on the court and then, sometimes, almost literally having to hold each other up during trophy ceremonies." Federer added.

Also Read: Most Olympic Gold medals in Tennis history (Men's)

Nadal was on the same side on Federer's last match

In Federer's last professional tennis match, Rafael Nadal was on the same side of the court as the two paired up to play a doubles match at the Laver Cup in London in 2022. After the match, a photo of Federer and Nadal sitting on the bench, holding hands and crying, went viral on social media.

“And then there was London—the Laver Cup in 2022. My final match. It meant everything to me that you were there by my side—not as my rival but as my doubles partner. Sharing the court with you that night, and sharing those tears, will forever be one of the most special moments of my career,”

Few names are synonymous with greatness in tennis, and even fewer stand on an equal footing with Roger Federer. Blessing the sport for well over two decades, he has left an indelible mark on the sport with not merely his extraordinary talent but a never-yielding commitment towards excellence.

The following article develops a detailed milestone in the extremely illustrious career of Roger Federer and enumerates reasons that make him one of the finest tennis players the world has ever seen.

Early Years and Rise to Prominence

In fact, it was not until the middle of the 1990s that Roger Federer finally began his rise to tennis stardom with displays of his presence among promising juniors. In 1998, he won both the Wimbledon junior singles and doubles titles, which by then evidentially showed his potential to be able to dominate the game. In the years following his entry onto the professional circuit, however, Federer remained very much a young man learning and growing.

When Federer started ATP tours in 1998, he was able to list his first ATP victory in the same calendar year. It was not that easy for him to turn from a junior into a professional; gradually, his patience was justified as it helped him climb the ranking ladder. Breakthrough and Dominance Federer finally broke through in 2003 when he won his first Grand Slam at Wimbledon.

Read Also | Most Wimbledon Titles in Open Era (Men) 

This victory marked the beginning of an era of dominance in male tennis. Throughout the years 2003-2007, Federer has won 11 Grand Slam singles titles, including five successive Wimbledon titles.

His articulated game style, developed through flowing effortless motion and the uncanny ability to adjust to the surface of play, made him almost unbeatable. The greatness of Federer's rivalry with Rafael Nadal, which began at this time, further added an exciting story to his career as the two challenged each other to new heights.

Read Also | Tennis Facts: Top 10 Oldest World No.1 tennis players in history (men and women) 

Challenges and Resurgence

The late 2000s and the early 2010s were, by comparison, poor times for Federer-especially with the coming of Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Injuries and the physical wear from years at the top began to take their mark, and Federer started to witness some erosion in his dominance. Despite those challenges, he has still competed at the highest level, capturing Grand Slam victories and remaining near the top of the rankings.

For fans and bettors alike, Federer's matches since then are still a staple in Tennis parlay picks as he seemed to have reinvented his game to accommodate the younger talent that surrounded him. Strong and skilful, he continued being able to extend his career well beyond what most had projected.

Read Also | Most Matches Played in Grand Slam 

The Golden Years: 2017-2018

What can really be termed as a renaissance, Federer returned to Grand Slam glory in the year 2017 when he won the Australian Open and Wimbledon titles at 35 years of age. This victory in the Australian Open in the year 2017 was all the more memorable because he defeated Nadal in an exciting five-set final, the feistiness and competitive spirit remained unruffled.

Read Also | Oldest Grand Slam Champion | Top 10 List 

The following year, Federer furthered his winning ways as he won his 20th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open. Such victories cemented his legacy and proved that for the Swiss Maestro, age was just a number. Final Years and Legacy With Federer well into the tail-end of his career, injuries started to happen more often, and his appearances on tours were limited.

Yet, even in these years of twilight, Federer continued to ‌display the elegance and precision that had defined his game. Thus, when he called for ‌retirement in 2022, an era folded into the night. Still, his influence on the sport remains profound. ‌

The greatness of Federer's legacy does not lie in the titles and records that he holds, but in the grace, sportsmanship, and love with which he played the game, thereby inspiring a million hearts. He has set a standard for excellence and professionalism for which future generations of players will be striving to equal.

Conclusion

The career of Roger Federer speaks volumes about what talent, hard work, and an iron commitment to one's craft can accomplish. From the young prodigy out of Switzerland, all the way through to the persistence and brilliance arguably by the finest tennis player ever to step foot on the court.

And that brings in the fact that, as tennis of the future continues to unravel, the legacy of Federer will be that shining star guiding us all on how high we can reach when passion and purpose combine.

Novak Djokovic moved closer to another record held by his great rival Roger Federer after his second round match at the 2024 Wimbledon Championships. The Serbian icon’s routine victory over Jacob Fearnley was his 421 match at a Grand Slam event, moving him to within eight matches of Federer’s men’s singles milestone. Let's take a look at the top 10 players who have the records of most matches played in Grand Slam in the Open Era.

Also Read: Youngest Grand Slam Champion (Men) | Top 10 List

Most Matches Played in Grand Slam

10. Stan Wawrinka | 221

Stan Wawrinka, who turned professional in 2002, played a total of 225 Grand Slam matches. He is a three-time Grand Slam champion and appeared in 50-straight Grand Slams before missing the 2017 US Open with two season-ending left knee surgeries. He is one of just three players to have defeated Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal at Grand Slams. Wawrinka reached four Grand Slam singles finals in his career to date, winning three, the 2014 Australian Open, the 2015 French Open and the 2016 US Open; each time he defeated the reigning world No. 1 in the championship match (Rafael Nadal once and Novak Djokovic twice, respectively).

9. Stefan Edberg | 225

Swede Edberg competed in only 225 Grand Slam matches and he won 178 of those. Edberg, who turned professional in 1983 and retired in 1996, won two Wimbledon titles, two US Open trophies and two Australian Open titles during his 13-year career. In total he played 1,071 career matches for a win-loss record of 801–270 (74.8%)

8. Pete Sampras | 241

Pete Sampras has competed in 241 matches at Grand Slam tournaments. He compiled a 762-222 career singles record (77.4%) putting him in the top-10 all-time for the Open Era. Sampras captured 64 tour singles titles in 265 overall tournaments (was also a finalist in 24 tournaments). At the age of 19 years and 28 days, Sampras became the youngest US Open men’s singles champion in history, defeating his career-rival Andre Agassi.

Also Read: Oldest Grand Slam Champion | Top 10 List

7. Andy Murray | 257

Andy Murray has played 257 Major matches (200-57) from the 1,001 total singles matches he has competed in (739-262). Among the four Grand Slam events, the Brit has played the most matches at Wimbledon (74), where he has a 61-13 record.

6. Ivan Lendl | 271

Ivan Lendl competed in 271 Grand Slam matches (222-49) from the 1,340 matches tour-level matches he played in total (1,068-242). The Czech-American contested more matches at the US Open (86) than any other Grand Slam and compiled a 73-13 record at Flushing Meadows.

5. Andre Agassi | 277

Andre Agassi contested 1,144 singles matches overall in his career (870-274), with 277 of these being played at Grand Slam events (224-53). Among the four Majors, the American played the most matches at the US Open (98), where he accumulated a 79-19 record.

Also Read: Grand Slam record: Most wins in grand slams

4. Jimmy Connors | 282

Jimmy Connors played an ATP record 1,557 matches in his career (1,274-283), with 282 of these coming at Majors (233-49). The American contested more matches at the US Open (115) than any other Grand Slam and amassed a 98-17 record at the New York showpiece.

3. Rafael Nadal | 358

Rafael Nadal has competed in 358 matches at Grand Slam tournaments (314-44) from the 1,300 matches he has played in total (1,075-225). The Spaniard holds a 112-4 record at Roland Garros, where he has played more matches than at any other tournament.

2. Novak Djokovic | 421

Following his second round win at Wimbledon 2024, Novak Djokovic moved closer to another record held by his great rival Roger Federer. Djokovic has contested 421 matches at Majors (371-49) from 1,325 matches overall (1,106-219). The Serbian has won more than 90 matches at the French Open (96-16), the Australian Open (94-9), and Wimbledon (93-11), while he holds a 88-13 US Open record.

Also Read: Most Wimbledon Titles in Open Era (Men)

1. Roger Federer | 429 

Roger Federer is the legendary player who has the record of most matches played in Grand Slam. He played 1,526 matches in total in his career (1,251-275), with 429 of his matches coming at Grand Slam events (369-60). The Swiss earned over 100 victories at both Wimbledon (105-14) and the Australian Open (102-15), while he also amassed 89-14 and 73-17 records at the US Open and Roland Garros respectively.

The Championships, Wimbledon was first played in 1877, since then it has become an integral part of the tennis calendar. Throughout its years, Wimbledon has seen countless iconic moments and Wimbledon winners. We take a look at some of the most Wimbledon Titles winner list in the Open Era in the men's singles competition, including some of their record-breaking titles. 

Also Read: Oldest Grand Slam Champion | Top 10 List

Most Wimbledon Titles

#5 John McEnroe | 3 Titles

John McEnroe, an American former professional tennis player won three Wimbledon titles (1981, 1983 and 1984). He is one of the most iconic tennis players of all time for both his brilliance and controversy on and off the court.

McEnroe won seven Grand Slams throughout his career. He claimed the title in four US Opens, winning the tournament three times in a row from 1979 to 1981 before regaining his crown in 1984. The American’s dominance over that five-year period saw him become one of the most decorated men’s singles players ever. 

#4 Björn Borg | 5 Titles

Swedish tennis player Bjorn Borg won five Wimbledon titles in his career. He was one of the finest competitors of the modern era. Bjorn won five consecutive Wimbledons, from 1976 to 1980. In the 1976 final, Borg defeated IIie Nastase in straight sets. In 1977, he defeated Jimmy Connors to lift the trophy for the second time. For his third and fourth Wimbledon titles, he defeated Jimmy Connors and Roscoe Tanners respectively. By winning the final against archrival John Mcroe 1-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-7, 8-6 in 1980, Borg won his fifth consecutive Wimbledon.

Also Read: Youngest Grand Slam Champion (Men) | Top 10 List

#3 Novak Djokovic | 7 Titles

Whilst Federer may be the king of grass and boasts the most Wimbledon Gentlemen’s singles titles, Novak Djokovic is hot on his tail with 7 titles, just one less than Federer. With Federer now retired, so 2024 is the year that Federer’s record is equalled? 

Djokovic has taken the record for the most Grand Slam titles ever, with an impressive 24 to his name. He finished 2023 with a record-extending eighth-year-end No.1 finish, winning the Australian Open, Roland Garros and US Open. He will for sure have his eyes on Federer’s records as he has the opportunity to equalise and if not beat it in the Wimbledon 2024.

#2 Pete Sampras | 7 Titles

Before Federer took his crown, America’s Pete Sampras held the title of most Wimbledon titles in Open Era for 9 years, from 1999-2008. He won the Championships 7 times in the space of 8 years between 1993 and 2000. 

'Pistol Pete' just lost out to Richard Krajicek in the quarterfinals, who then went on to win The Championships that year. Pete has an astonishing 90%-win rate at Wimbledon, just higher than Federer on 88%. He was an incredible grass court player and was truly untouchable during his peak.

Also Read: Grand Slam record: Most wins in grand slams

#1 Roger Federer | 8 Titles

You cannot have a conversation about most Wimbledon titles winners without talking about The King of Grass, Roger Federer. Federer is the most successful male player at Wimbledon with a total of 8 titles to his name. He is also one of just two players to win the Championships on five consecutive occasions (2003-2007). 

Federer holds many world records at Wimbledon, many surrounding the 2008 final against Nadal which was the longest Wimbledon singles final ever. However, the most notable of his records is arguably the number of consecutive matches he won at Wimbledon. Between 2003 and 2008 Federer won an astonishing 66 matches in a row.

Often in the modern day, it is young players who seem to receive the most attention for their achievements in tennis. But recently, there has been a rise in those more experienced players maintaining their level beyond expectations, and continuing to compete at the highest level time and time again. 

One additional consequence of players being so much more professional these days is the extension of their careers. It is much more common to see players competing well into their late 30s, when they may have previously retired in their early 30s. Here is our list of the Oldest Grand Slam Champion. They have all won multiple grand slams and are true legends of the game.

Also Read: Youngest Grand Slam Champion (Men) | Top 10 List

Oldest Grand Slam Champion

10. Rafael Nadal | 35 years 7 months 14 days

Rafael Nadal defeated Daniil Medvedev in the final, 2–6, 6–7, 6–4, 6–4, 7–5 to win the men's singles tennis title at the 2022 Australian Open. The Spaniard was 35 years, 7 months, and 14 days old at the time. It was his second Australian Open title. This made it the second-longest Major final in history behind the 2012 Australian Open title match, where Nadal fell to Djokovic in a brilliant five-set marathon.

It was Nadal’s 21st of his 22 Grand Slam titles and the first he had won since 2020 after he had struggled with a foot injury that forced him to miss most of the second half of the 2021 season.

9. Novak Djokovic | 35 years 7 months 25 days

Novak Djokovic won the Australian Open for the 10th time after beating Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-3, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5) in the Australian Open 2023, returning to the world number one ranking for the first time since last June The Serbian star took the trophy with a muscle tear of about an inch in his left hamstring. 

His age was 35 years, 7 months, and 25 days old at that time. 

8. Ken Rosewall | 35 years 10 months

Ken Rosewall defeated Tony Roche in the final, 2–6, 6–4, 7–6, 6–3 to win the men's singles tennis title at the 1970 US Open. It was his second US Open singles title and seventh Grand Slam tournament singles title overall. Until Novak Djokovic won the US Open 2023, the Australian was the oldest US Open champion at 35 years and 10 months.

7. Roger Federer | 35 years 10 months 26 days

Roger Federer cruised through to the decider without dropping a single set and capped it off with a 6-3, 6-1, 6-4 straight-set win over Croatia’s Marin Cilic to kiss the golden trophy for a record eighth time at the 2017 Wimbledon.

He was 35 years, 10 months, and 26 days old at that time. Besides his eight titles at Wimbledon, Roger Federer has reached the final on four other occasions – 2008 against Nadal and 2014, 2015 and 2019 against Djokovic.

6. Rafael Nadal | 35 years 11 months 19 days

Simply mention the three words 'King of Clay' and there is only one name that comes to mind: Rafael Nadal. The Spaniard's reputation on the surface has become the stuff of legend within the world of tennis, owing to his utter domination, especially at the French Open, which he has won on an astonishing 14 occasions. 

In fact, over the last seven editions of the competition, Nadal has won five - and he didn't enter one of them. 2022 simply saw him continue his incredible record, as he beat several top-level players - Casper Ruud, Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic to name just three - in the process of winning the 22nd Grand Slam of his career.

Also Read: Grand Slam record: Most wins in grand slams

5. Novak Djokovic | 36 years 6 days

Novak Djokovic defeated Casper Ruud 7-6(1), 6-3, 7-5 in 2023 French Open. With his win, the three-time Roland Garros titlist Djokovic also reclaimed the No. 1 spot in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings from Carlos Alcaraz, eclipsed Rafael Nadal as the oldest Roland Garros champion at the age of 36 years and 6 days and became the first man to win all four Grand Slam events at least three times.

4. Novak Djokovic | 36 years 3 months 6 days

Given the way he gets around the court, it is sometimes hard to believe that Novak Djokovic is the age he is, with his speed of play showing no signs of slowing down just yet. He stormed to three different Grand Slams during 2023, only missing out on the set after a heroic performance by Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final. 

Djokovic handled the weight of history to defeat Daniil Medvedev in the 2023 US Open. With a 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-3 victory, the 36 years, 3 months, and 6 days old won his 24th Grand Slam singles title, tying Margaret Court's record and bolstering his case to be considered the greatest tennis player of all time.

3. Ken Rosewall | 36 years 4 months 5 days

Ken Rosewall defeated the defending champion Arthur Ashe in the final, 6–1, 7–5, 6–3 to win the men's singles tennis title at the 1971 Australian Open. At that time, his age was 36 years, 4 months, and 5 days. With the win, he became the first man in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam tournament singles title without dropping a set.

2. Roger Federer | 36 years 5 months 7 days

At the age of 36 years, 5 months, and 7 days, former tennis player Roger Federer became the second oldest Grand Slam champion after his Australian Open title against Marin Cilic 2-6 7-6 3-6 6-3 6-1 in 2018. He is considered the greatest male tennis player of all time. 

Also Read: Most matches in Tennis history (male & female): Tennis Records

1. Ken Rosewall | 37 years 1 month 24 days

When Ken Rosewall beat Malcolm Anderson in the Australian Open finals of 1972, he etched his name in the history books by becoming the oldest Grand Slam champion in the Open era. Ken won the match in straight sets 7-6(7-2), 6-3, 7-5. He was 37 years, 1 month, and 24 days old at that time.