is retiring from professional tennis at age 41 after a series of knee operations, closing a career in which he won 20 Grand Slam titles, finished five seasons ranked No. 1 and helped create a golden era of menB次元官网网址檚 tennis with rivals Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

Federer posted what he called a B次元官网网址渂ittersweet decisionB次元官网网址� via on Thursday, less than a week after played what is expected to the last match of her career.

Combined, represent a significant turning of the page.

B次元官网网址淎s many of you know, the past three years have presented me with challenges in the form of injuries and surgeries. IB次元官网网址檝e worked hard to return to full competitive form,B次元官网网址� Federer wrote on Twitter. B次元官网网址淏ut I also know my bodyB次元官网网址檚 capacities and limits, and its message to me lately has been clear.B次元官网网址�

Federer has not competed since Wimbledon in July 2021, and so, in that sense, his news is not all that surprising.

But he had appeared at an event marking the 100-year anniversary of Centre Court at the All England Club this July and said he hoped to come back to play there B次元官网网址渙ne more time.B次元官网网址�

He also had said he would return to tournament action in his home country at the Swiss Indoors in October.

In ThursdayB次元官网网址檚 announcement, Federer said his farewell event will be the Laver Cup in London next week. That is a team event run by his management company.

Federer is married and he and his wife, Mirka B次元官网网址� a tennis player, too; they met as athletes at an Olympics B次元官网网址� have two sets of twins.

He leaves with a total of 103 tour-level titles on his substantial resume and 1,251 wins in singles matches, both second only to Jimmy Connors in the Open era, which began in 1968. FedererB次元官网网址檚 records include being the oldest No. 1 in ATP rankings history B次元官网网址� he returned to the top spot at 36 in 2018 B次元官网网址� and most consecutive weeks there (his total weeks mark was eclipsed by Djokovic).

When Federer won his first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 2003, the menB次元官网网址檚 record for most was held by Pete Sampras, who had won his 14th at the U.S. Open the year before in what turned out to be the last match of the AmericanB次元官网网址檚 career.

Federer would go on to blow way past that, ending up with 20 by winning eight championships at Wimbledon, six at the Australian Open, five at the U.S. Open and one at the French Open. His 2009 trophy at Roland Garros allowed Federer to complete a career Grand Slam.

His serving, forehand, footwork and attacking style will all be remembered. Also unforgettable were his matches against younger rivals Nadal, 36, and Djokovic, 35, who both equalled, then surpassed, FedererB次元官网网址檚 Slam total and are still winning titles at the sportB次元官网网址檚 four biggest tournaments.

Nadal now leads the count with 22, one ahead of Djokovic.

B次元官网网址淚 was lucky enough to play so many epic matches that I will never forget,B次元官网网址� Federer said in ThursdayB次元官网网址檚 announcement.

Addressing his B次元官网网址渃ompetitors on the courtB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� although not by name B次元官网网址� he wrote: B次元官网网址淲e pushed each other, and together we took tennis to new levels.B次元官网网址�

FedererB次元官网网址檚 last match anywhere came on July 7, 2021, when he lost at Centre Court in the Wimbledon quarterfinals to Hubert Hurkacz 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-0.

Soon after, Federer had surgery to repair damage to his meniscus and cartilage in his right knee B次元官网网址� his third operation on that knee in a span of 1 1/2 years.

B次元官网网址淭ennis has treated me more generously than I ever would have dreamt,B次元官网网址� Federer said Thursday, B次元官网网址渁nd now I must recognize when it is time to end my competitive career.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址擧oward Fendrich, The Associated Press