Roger Federer announced that he will be retiring from professional tennis after competing at the Laver Cup in London this week. Tributes have poured in from across the world to the 20-time Grand Slam champion, while several stats have been highlighted to show the Swiss star’s greatness in the sport.
Outside of his accomplishments, fans loved Federer for his hard work, attitude, and never-say-die spirit – which has been made clear from a stat regarding his ATP Tour career. The 41-year-old did not retire in any of his 1526 singles matches or 223 doubles games, and while Jimmy Connors was the only man to play more singles matches than Federer, he retired from 14 of them. Novak Djokovic has retired from 13, while Rafael Nadal has withdrawn nine times.
The stat typifies Federer’s attitude towards the game, which has seen him held in such high esteem by his peers. After he announced that he would be calling a day on his 24-year career, Djokovic penned a heartfelt message to his friend and rival. “Roger it’s hard to see this day and put into words all that we’ve shared in this sport together,” Djokovic said on Instagram.
“Over a decade of incredible moments and battles to think back on. Your career has set the tone for what it means to achieve excellence and lead with integrity and poise. It’s an honour to know you on and off court, and for many more years to come.”