Roger Federer announces his retirement from the ATP Tour and grand slams
Roger Federer announced his retirement from tennis on Monday, after a 15-year career that has seen him win 18 grand slams and become the most successful male player in history.
The Swiss great also announced that he had in the past few years been diagnosed with prostate cancer and made the decision to retire from tennis so he could seek health advice more freely.
But Federer’s retirement comes even sooner than he wanted: He said in a statement he will retire from the ATP Tour at the end of the year. In the past, Federer has used long retirement as a way of playing more tournaments. He had won 10 Grand Slam events since 2006, including six Masters Series events.
Federer also explained why he has decided to retire; “I think I’ll live on the tennis court, where I’ve spent so much of my life, and to be honest I won’t have to deal with the public scrutiny anymore. In fact I don’t think I’ll ever have to deal with it, so why should I? I’ve been doing the tennis for so long now, and I know what I need to do. I’ve done what I needed to do for me.”
Now on his own again, Federer said he would use a team of consultants to assist him on his transition, and that he would not take part in the 2017 ATP Finals, which begins in Madrid, Spain. He also said he will not play matches or tournaments during the rest of 2017.
“I have a long way to go. I don’t see myself as Roger Federer. I might be Roger Federer’s son, but I’m not him,” Federer said, adding that he saw his younger stepsister and brother as his younger stepsister and brother, respectively. “I can’t be both.”
Federer, who is 36, is the third top-ranked male player to announce his retirement, joining Andre Agassi and Patrick Rafter. Federer has won 18 grand slams and is one of the greatest all-time tennis players.
Federer joined the ATP Tour in 1997. He has played in four consecutive Davis Cup Finals, winning titles in 1998 and 2002 and again in 2015.
Federer, who won 12 Grand Slam singles events, including six majors, will have his career total of titles in tennis at 19. His most recent Grand
