It seems that Federer’s retirement announcement is still a “shock” in the hearts of fans, when a tennis legend announced the end of his career. However, everyone forgot that he was 41 years old – an age where injuries happen often and take a long time to recover.
Like Serena Williams, Federer made the decision to “retire” after a long time devoted to tennis. The image of the “Express train” on the court continuing to win titles and break records created by themselves is clearly not strange, but a U50 player who continues to work hard will certainly be very unfair. often.
Legend of Federer
The hard work of Federer or Williams creates a strong belief in the hearts of fans that they are always there – hard work and dedication. Or even when it comes to injuries, the two will still come back. At 41, it looks like it’s time for Federer to step back and rest. Because he himself carved his name into the era.
The Laver Cup in London will be the tournament for Federer to end his career. Photo: Reuters.
Federer marked his career with his first Grand Slam in 2003 and raised the number to 20 during 24 years of playing professionally. While we all – quietly and slowly – age, Federer still takes the racket to the court, wins, and defies the times. This leads fans to believe that the world stands still and nothing changes.
“I have to realize when it’s time to end my playing career,” Federer announced his decision to retire after the Laver Cup tournament in London, England.
“I work hard to get back to my best form. But I myself know the capabilities and limits of my body, and certainly what it is telling me is very clear,” continued the Swiss legend.
The closer to the end of his career, the easier it is for Federer to fail. Last year, he was eliminated in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon after losing to Hubert Hurkacz, an opponent 16 years younger than him. That is the day perhaps “Express Train” realizes the moment of truth: England no longer belongs to the Grand Slam courts, the tournament where young players overwhelm the “old men”.
Shortly after, Federer had to undergo a third knee surgery. Then, the instability in his body spoke up, sending the message that it was time for him to rest. Fate may be a little unfair. There was no happy ending for Federer. His efforts have not been rewarded with the trade-offs so far.
Federer is the first player to conquer the 20 Grand Slam milestone. To date, he still holds the most Wimbledon championships with 8 titles, has the most matches (429 matches) and the most wins at major tournaments, 369 matches.
Federer writes his own history with 103 titles, second only to Jimmy Connors in the Open Era, with more than $130 million in prize money. Between 2003-2008, Federer won 12 out of 18 Grand Slams and redefined tennis’s place in the sports world.
Hard to find “Second Federer”
And of course, those records were broken by other talents. One of the records he created was even knocked down by Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic, or many other names. However, the legendary Swiss “resource” left to the tennis industry is the way he wins, with every ball and a calm attitude when on the court.
“It’s like a symphony,” Patrick Mouratoglou, former coach of Serena Williams, said of Federer’s style a few years ago. “No one will be able to play tennis like that again, not possible. It is absolute perfection. The movement, the timing, everything is perfect and it’s all amazing.”
In a 2006 New York Times article, journalist David Foster Wallace shared: “Roger Federer as a religious experience”. He described Federer’s forehand balls as “a masterful whip”, something television could not reproduce.
Federer impressed with the way he played like an artist. Photo: Reuters.
Sports history will place Federer alongside the likes of Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali, Tiger Woods and of course, Serena Williams. They will become legends who will be talked about for many years even after retirement. An inspirational generation.
Tennis is entering a new era. Federer has retired. Nadal is not young anymore. At the age of 36, Rafa will also have difficulty with ensuring health for the competition and then face injuries. And Djokovic turns 35, although still has the opportunity to create records and win other titles, traces of time are inevitable.
It will happen, it is an undeniable prospect. However, we all know that it will take more time for fans to adjust to this futuristic picture.
According to Khanh Linh – Zing.vn | 09:37 September 24, 2022
