Roger Federer, one of the greatest tennis players of all time, has retired.  The Swiss tennis champion announced his retirement on Sept. 15.  As heartbreaking as it is for many fans, Federer announced that he would continue being involved in the sport of tennis, but he will no longer be playing on the tours or in Grand Slams.  He played his final match, alongside Rafael Nadal, in the Laver Cup against Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe in London at the end of Sept.  Federer, who is 41 years old, had a knee injury earlier in the year that caused him to miss the U.S. Open last Aug. and ultimately led to his decision to retire.  

Over his career, Federer has had many accomplishments, winning 20 Grand Slams throughout his 24-year career—the third-most in history behind Novak Djokovic and Nadal.  He has been at the top of the ATP rankings for 310 weeks and holds the record for most consecutive weeks, with 237.  Federer has won over 100 ATP men’s singles titles, more than 1,000 matches of the thousands he has played, and five consecutive US Open championships from 2003 to 2008.  Federer also holds the record for winning eight Wimbledon men’s singles titles. 

“I used to play tennis a lot when I was younger and I would dream about being a tennis player like Roger Federer.  He was the best player at that time and I really respected him.  Although I never saw him play in person, I really felt like he had an influence on me,” said sophomore Alden Ruskin.  

Federer has also been successful off the court through his sponsorship deals.  He was listed as the seventh-highest paid athlete in the world by Forbes, mainly as a result of these sponsors. There was even a special shoe collaboration between Federer and the Jordan brand, the biggest sneaker brand in the entire world.  During his career, he was mostly sponsored by Nike but also represented Wilson by using a variety of different rackets throughout his playing career.  

Federer’s career has impacted the sport of tennis, as his legacy will benefit the sport for years to come.  Many tennis players currently use a two-hand backhand, but Federer inspired many to use a less traditional one-handed backhand as he did.  He has been a model to many prospects around the world, as some are trying to develop a play style similar to his.  Tennis players everywhere look up to Federer for his amazing legacy and his great style of play.  

“I would always enjoy seeing Federer playing on television because he was such a dominant player.  I went to the US Open once and was able to watch his play which was a special experience for me.  He really helped spark my interest in playing tennis,” said sophomore Kirin Doshi.

One of the many ways that Federer helped the sport of tennis was by encouraging many younger kids to start playing tennis.  In Switzerland, where Federer is very famous and well-known for his great tennis abilities, he has set up camps and raised money for kids to play.  Throughout his career, he tried to grow the sport in his home country as much as he could.  Even though he’s retired, he is going to continue to coach and help train young prospects in Switzerland.   

“Roger Federer has been my hero since I was young.  I would even try to dress like him.   I would always get his Wilson racket and try to play just like he did.  Overall, he was a very inspiring Swiss tennis player,” said sophomore Jonathan Gold.

Roger Federer has been an essential role model to many young tennis players today.  He’s had a lot of success throughout his 24-year career which has led him to be considered one of the best tennis players ever.  Although the tennis community is saddened that he will no longer be playing professionally, his legacy will continue to inspire people all over the world and keep tennis a popular sport to play.