In the early morning of September 24, 2022, at the O2 Stadium in London, Federer bid farewell to the arena in tears amid the earth-shaking cheers of tens of thousands of fans and the gaze of fans around the world. With 310 weeks of world No. 1, 1,251 wins in 1,526 singles matches, 103 ATP singles titles, 6 ATP year-end finals, 28 Masters titles, 20 Grand Slam titles, and 0 retirements, he has brought to a successful end to his 24-year professional tennis career.
On September 24, 2022, Federer announced his retirement, ending his 24-year professional tennis career.
In his retirement letter, released on September 15, 2022, Roger Federer wrote: "The past 24 years have been an incredible adventure, sometimes it feels like a journey that only lasts 24 hours, but it feels like a full and magical life. "Yes, these 24 years began with the arrival of the blonde, unruly and talented young man in 1998, and ended in 2022 when the father of 4 children, who had climbed to the top of his eyebrows, who had achieved great results but was plagued by injuries. Federer perfectly shows the talent of genius, the posture of a king, and also interprets the little-known other side of the strong with tears, failure, and regret. He proved to us that sport is great than just winning.
Became famous at a young age
Federer was born on August 8, 1981 in Basel, Switzerland, to a Swiss father and a South African mother, and they worked for the same pharmaceutical company. At the age of 3, he went with his parents to the Old Boys Tennis Club in Basel, and Federer, who first came into contact with tennis, showed great interest and talent. The young Federer had a wide range of hobbies, football, basketball, badminton, volleyball... In a gradual attempt, he finally chose tennis.
In his retirement letter, Federer once said: "Deep down, I will always be that little caddy. It was 1993, and at the age of 12, he was playing as a caddy at the Basel Open. After winning two Swiss junior tennis titles in the 12-year-old category, Federer was accepted into the Swiss National Tennis Development Program and officially became a professional tennis player, when he was 14 years old. At the age of 17, he had his first bumper year, first reaching the semifinals of the Australian Open (Australian Open) junior category, then reaching the Wimbledon (Wimbledon) junior singles title, then reaching the US Open (US Open) junior final, and finishing first in the Miami Orange Bowl in December, ending his junior professional tennis career as the year-end world No. 1.
Australian Open: Six titles throughout his career
Every January, the southern hemisphere sun is blazing, and Melbourne Sports Park is "hot" - the Australian Open, one of tennis' four Grand Slam tournaments, kicked off here first, and Federer's career as an adult began here.
In 1999, at the age of 18, Federer was eliminated in the first round of the Australian Open qualifiers. The following year, at the age of 19, he made his Australian Open men's singles debut, stopping in the third round. In 2002, Federer swept former French Open champion Zhang Depei in the first round of the tournament. In 2004, Federer was invincible in Melbourne, winning his first Australian Open title in his career and world No. 1 in the semi-finals and Safinn in the finals.
The Australian Open not only witnessed Federer's glory and smile, but also recorded his regrets and failures. In the 2009 Australian Open men's singles competition, the newly recovered Federer (who had suffered from infectious mononucleosis, an infection caused by a virus that manifested as fever, sore throat, headache and easy fatigue) made it all the way to the final, fighting hard in five sets, losing 2-3 to his old rival Nadal, and watching Nadal lift his first Australian Open title trophy with tears in his eyes. The frustration of trying his best but still falling short made Federer cry bitterly at the post-race award ceremony: "I'm heartbroken. As soon as these words came out, the fans who supported him in the audience couldn't help but burst into tears, and Nadal also comforted him. This sympathy after the cruel fight has written a good story of the Australian Open and sublimated the friendship between the two.
In the 2017 Australian Open men's singles final, Federer and Nadal became the first "30+" veterans to meet in a Grand Slam final after Sampras and Agassi at the 2002 US Open. In the end, Federer defeated Nadal 3-2 in this epic showdown and won the Grand Slam championship trophy for the second time in four years. Federer, who won the cup, sighed: "It's a pity that there is no draw in tennis, otherwise I would like to share this championship with Nadal." In a later interview, Federer admitted that the last 20 minutes of the battle were the best of his career, with full attention and desperation.
In the 2018 Australian Open men's singles final, Federer defeated Croatia's Cilic 3-2 to successfully defend his title and win his sixth Australian Open title, the 20th and final Grand Slam title of his career.
French Open Lowlands: Clay lost to Nadal
The French Open, held in Roland Garros, a western suburb of Paris, brings new excitement and vitality to Paris every May. The red land of Roland Garros is more suitable for defensive counter-attacking players to pull on the bottom line, and it is not friendly to offensive players led by Federer, and many tennis masters such as Sampras, Becker and Edberg before Federer are "looking at the French Open". Despite this, Federer still reached the French Open final four times with his strength, but the "king of clay" Nadal played better than him, so Federer was the runner-up for three consecutive years.
Just when everyone thought that Federer could not win the French Open, his dedication to clay finally paid off. In the 2009 French Open men's singles competition, Nadal unexpectedly lost to the black horse Sodlin in the fourth round, Federer "took the trend" to defeat Sodlin 3:0 in the final, "lucky" to win the French Open title, completing the career Grand Slam feat, which is also the only French Open title he has ever won. It was drizzling in Paris that day, and Federer took the trophy from Agassi and said with tears in his eyes: "Unbelievable, this is probably the greatest victory of my tennis career!" ”
How lucky to be able to "steal" a crown on Nadal's territory. This is also a portrayal of Federer's career: talent and persistence, and finally fight for their own "luck".
In 2009, because of Nadal's upset, Federer "luckily" won the only French Open championship trophy.
Wimbledon Blessings: Five consecutive "King of the Meadows"
The All England Lawn Tennis Club, located in southwest London, hosted its first lawn tennis tournament, the Wimbledon Championships (Wimbledon), in 1887, the oldest of the four major tournaments. Wimbledon interprets British elegance, with players having to wear all-white jerseys and an off-court spectator gown top hat. Wimbledon's grass is perfect for Federer's serve and net play, and his gentle style matches Wimbledon's tonality.
In 2001, Federer defeated the defending champion and his idol Sampras in the fourth round, became famous, and won five consecutive championships in 2003~2007, completely conquering the world tennis world, and also established the status of "King of Grass". After winning Wimbledon in 2003, the people of Switzerland gave him a cow as a reward, so Chinese fans nicknamed him "The Cow".
In 2007, Federer won five consecutive Wimbledon titles and established the status of "King of the Grass".
The 2008 Wimbledon men's singles final was also one of Federer's most classic "battles". In the past two years, Nadal has lost to Federer in the finals. In this 3 match, he used a powerful topspin to suppress Federer's SLR (one-handed backhand) to play two sets first, and Federer chased two sets in a row after the game was suspended due to rain. Just when everyone thought the five-time champion was going to stage a big counterattack, Rain interrupted the game again. In the tiebreaker until the 16th game, Nadal won the championship point three times, and Federer saved it three times. As it gets dark, as Federer hits the ball off the net, Nadal falls to the ground to celebrate his first Wimbledon title, breaking Federer's vision of six consecutive titles. This 4-hour and 48-minute battle is like an epic, with scorching, suspenseful, ups and downs, and is praised by fans as "the greatest tennis match in history". In 2018, the United States filmed the documentary "Strokes of Genius", which focuses on this epic "battle" to show the superb play, excellent qualities and significance of Federer and Nadal, two great players.
In the 2008 Wimbledon men's singles final, Nadal defeated Federer to win the title, and the two hugged each other. This battle is known as one of the most classic matches in tennis.
On July 4, 2022, Wimbledon celebrated its centennial, and Federer made his first appearance as a non-participating player. The Wimbledon sun shines on the green grass of Centre Court. He walked calmly in a suit and was greeted by many Grand Slam champions next to him, but only Federer won the title here eight times, the most male player in Wimbledon history. He waved gracefully, as if reminiscing about his career here: "Here are my most glorious victories and my most bitter defeats." "If you don't retire at your favorite Wimbledon, the king may feel a little regretful.
US Open Highlands: Five consecutive titles on fast hard courts
At the end of August every year, the US Open is held at the Billy Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, Queens, New York, the world's largest tennis center, which is also the last stop of the four Grand Slams, with the most lucrative prizes and many business opportunities.
In contrast to Wimbledon's low-key simplicity, New York is all about American carnival. There are dizzying billboards everywhere inside and outside the stadium, and players are dressed in flamboyant match uniforms. As a signature figure, Federer was surrounded by various business activities every time he came to New York. It is rare that he has never been distracted by complicated advertising shooting, and has achieved another five-in-a-row championship since 2004~2008.
In 2008, Federer won the US Open for the fifth time in a row
In the 2009 US Open men's singles final, Federer was unexpectedly upset by Argentina's new generation of "Big Pineapple" del Potro while taking the lead, and lost the opportunity to win six consecutive US Opens. Unexpectedly, Federer just left calmly with an expressionless face, perhaps the fierce battle between the Australian Open and Nadal earlier had made him beyond winning or losing.
When a reporter asked him how he felt about the four major opens, Federer said: "The Australian Open is the beginning of a new atmosphere every year, the French Open and Wimbledon in Europe are like home, and the US Open is a bustling 'flower world'." ”
Elegant tennis aesthetics
To describe Federer's tennis, "elegant" is the best adjective. His serve is simple and practical, with precise landing points; The forehand is not violent, but the line is clear and responsible for attacking and finishing the opponent; Backhand cutting is combined to control rhythm changes. In Federer's heyday, this "three-plate axe" ran rampant all over the world and hung many masters. After losing to Federer in the 2005 US Open men's singles final, the previous generation of champion Agassi said: "He's the only one of all my opponents who makes me happy to keep my serve. ”
Federer's "three-board axe": high concealment of serve, clear and stable forehand line, combination of backhand cutting, elegant action, very ornamental.
In the middle and later part of his career, Federer encountered Nadal's violent tennis genre, and he also changed in time, abandoning the original 90-square-inch small racket face racket, switching to a 98 medium racket, increasing the area of "dessert" (the area outside the center of the racket, where the ball can be hit) while speeding up the pace of the shot. Use more serve to net the net and increase the spin of the forehand in the game to strive for a quick game. Being flexible and learning from experience has allowed Federer to use more tactical combinations and is still ranked 7th in the world as he approaches 40 years old. Federer once told Nadal: "You are the opponent who has had the most influence and motivation on my tennis career." Because of you, I readjusted and invented a lot of play to fight. ”
Later in his career, Federer's tennis aesthetic reflected the brutal beauty of competitive sports. At the 2018 US Open, the 37-year-old Federer was blocked by 29-year-old Australia's Millman in the last eight. The loss amplified the harsh reality that he was no longer young. Perhaps that's the charm of competitive sports – no one wins all the time. In a strong confrontation, the footsteps of a generation of kings are no longer so fast, the hitting is no longer so accurate, the key points are no longer so daring, and the physical strength is not even enough to support 4 sets. As he grew older, Federer became more and more reliant on willpower to score, which tormented the fans who cheered him on. On the other hand, struggling stubbornly in a desperate situation made people get to know him again.
The same was true of the retirement battle on September 23, when the 41-year-old Tennoi no longer had the same responsiveness as before, and it was difficult to compare his running time with his youth. But he bravely faced the 24-year-old Tiafo, bravely facing his unhealed knee injury, and did his best. People gradually realized that although the pleasing to the eye was sometimes strong and embarrassing, the persistence of the strong with amazing willpower was even more moving when they grew old.
A winner in life
Federer's wife, Milka, is also a tennis player and is ranked 76th in the world. She began to learn about tennis at the age of 9, and her enlightenment teacher was the famous "female King Kong" Navratinova. Federer and Milka represented Switzerland in the mixed doubles tennis competition at the Sydney Olympics, and Federer fell in love with Milka at first sight on the first day of training. The two married in 2009 and have two sets of twins. Federer's parents are also in good health and accompany him all over the world.
In the 2019 Wimbledon men's singles final, Federer's mother and wife Milka took two pairs of twins (a boy in a pink shirt and a girl in a denim top) to attend.
Federer is a humble and easy-going person, and my years as a sports journalist at the US Open have witnessed his patience with the media and players. Federer always spoke with a smile, unhurried and polite. He answers the media after each match in English, French and Swiss German, so he spends several times more time than other players.
In 2002, Federer, who came to Shanghai for the first time, wore a Tang costume to attend the press conference of the tennis masters.
Remember the 2015 US Open men's singles competition, the 34-year-old former world number one, Australian "hare" Hewitt was eliminated in the second round, which was the last US Open match of his career. Later, at Federer's press conference, I asked, "How do you evaluate Hewitt's retirement?" Federer pondered for a moment and couldn't help but sigh: "We have played together since we were teenagers and are very good friends. Watching my tennis contemporaries retire makes me feel very emotional and lucky: I am still passionate about tennis. He replied sincerely.
And for fans to ask for autographs and group photos, he offers the greatest enthusiasm. In his retirement letter, Federer told fans: "You never know how much strength and faith you have given me. The uplifting feeling of walking into a packed stadium has always been one of the most exciting things in my life. Without you, those successes would only make people feel lonely. ”
Federer signed autographs for fans
At the 2019 Shanghai Tennis Masters, Federer performed "Shot" for the audience.
Federer is passionate about charity, set up his own foundation in 2003, and regularly holds charity exhibition competitions, and uses all ticket revenue for charity, especially to help children in poor areas of Africa, build schools and provide them with daily necessities. He was also appointed a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 2006 and travels frequently to Africa to study the implementation of projects. The Federer Foundation's 2021 financial report shows that philanthropic spending amounted to $8.3 million, directly benefiting 138,000 children. Over the years since its inception, the Foundation has changed the lives and destinies of nearly 2 million African children.
The Federer Foundation is committed to improving the lives and education of children in poor parts of Africa. Federer himself often travels to Africa to visit local children.
It is precisely because of his enthusiasm for fans, respect for opponents, patience with the media, and enthusiasm for charity that from 2003~2021, Federer was named "Fan's Favorite Player" by the ATP Tour for 19 consecutive years. In 2007, 2010 and 2018, he was named one of the "100 Most Influential People in the World" by Time magazine.
Federer's good public image enhances its commercial value. On the tennis court, Federer's number of Grand Slam titles was surpassed by Nadal and Djokovic, but Federer was the best in commercial endorsements. In May 2020, Federer topped the Forbes annual athlete earnings list with $106.3 million, surpassing sports stars such as Messi, Ronaldo and James to become the first tennis player in history to top the annual athlete income rankings. He has been the world's highest-paid tennis player for 17 years. According to statistics, Federer's endorsement and business activities have accumulated as much as $1 billion.
The legendary player also has a unique bond with China, with Federer once saying: "China is like my other home. On August 8, 2008, at the age of 27, he "received" his most memorable birthday present – participating in the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games as the flag bearer of the Swiss Olympic team, where he won his only Olympic gold medal. In his 24-year career, he has come to Shanghai 12 times, participated in 8 Masters, and is one of the most participating tennis stars in Shanghai.
On August 8, 2008, Federer participated in the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games as the flag bearer of the Swiss Olympic team, which coincided with his 27th birthday.
Federer and his wife Milka shop for souvenirs of the Beijing Olympics
Federer's contemporaries have all retired from the game, but he has remained like an evergreen tree for 24 years. Looking at Federer, who was in tears, Nadal was already teary-eyed. "When Roger left the tour, so did a significant part of my life. Because the most important moments in my life are all the moments when He is by my side. "We've had a long and positive journey together." Perhaps the 36-year-old Nadal has also seen his departure soon after. The young man represented by the 19-year-old Alcaraz has been born to take full succession, and the world tennis world is waiting for the arrival of new kings. The previous generation of "old people" have left for a return to normal life, where there may be no ATP and Grand Slam tournaments, but there will still be tennis they love.
In 2021, sports journalist Claire wrote a new biography of Federer, "The Master, the long run and beautiful game of Roger Federer," the last sentence of which is very appropriate: "As always, his timing is always just right!" ”
Goodbye, Federer, the king of the generation!
Born August 8, 1981 in Basel, Switzerland
1992-1993 Caddy at the Basel Indoor Open, Switzerland
1998 Reached the Australian Open junior semifinals and the US Open junior finals; Won the Wimbledon Junior Championship; Year-end Junior ranked No. 1 in the world.
1999 Participated in the Australian Open qualifier, lost in the first round; Defeated French Open champion Carlos Moya at the Marseille Open.
In 2000, he represented Switzerland in the Sydney Olympic Games and won the fourth place in the men's singles; Partnered with female tennis player Milka in mixed doubles and fell in love with her at first sight.
2003 First Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon
2004 Won the Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open, becoming the first men's singles player since Mats Wieland in 1988 to win three Grand Slam titles in the same year; Year-end ranking ranked first in the world.
2005 Entered the Australian Open and French Open semifinals, won the third Wimbledon title; The US Open won the championship against the previous generation of football king Agassi.
From 2006 to 2007, he won the Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open; Consecutive losses to Nadal in the French Open finals.
In 2008, he suffered from mononucleosis, back injury, and only won the US Open championship; Losing to Nadal at Wimbledon and Roland Garros, the match at Wimbledon is considered one of the greatest tournaments in tennis history; He won the gold medal in the men's doubles at the Beijing Olympics.
2009 Won the French Open and Wimbledon champions; Lost six consecutive US Open titles, lost to Nadal at the Australian Open; Married to Milka, twin daughters are born.
2012 Won silver medal in singles at the London Olympics
2014 Twin sons were born
2015 Wimbledon and US Open lost to Djokovic
2016 Australian Open 1/4 loss to Djokovic; Received knee surgery, suffered from stomach problems, back injuries, and missed the 2016 Olympic Games.
In 2017, he won the Australian Open and Wimbledon, and regained the Grand Slam title for the first time in five years.
2018 Australian Open champion - last Grand Slam title; Hand injuries.
2019 Beat Nadal to reach Wimbledon final, but ultimately lost to Djokovic.
2020 Australian Open semi-final loss to Djokovic; Knee surgery again.
2021 At the age of 39, he became the oldest 1/4 finalist in Wimbledon's history; Surgery again; Last Grand Slam appearance.
September 15, 2022 Issued a retirement letter
September 24, 2022 Officially retired
This article is from the 11th issue of World Knowledge Illustrated in 2022