Roger Federer’s decision to retire from tennis is a “sad day” for the sport, his arch-rival Rafael Nadal has said. Only Spain’s Nadal, with 22 titles, and Serbia’s Novak Djokovic, with 21, have more Grand Slam men’s singles titles than the 41-year-old. “Dear Roger, my friend and rival. I wish this day had never come,” Nadal wrote on social media.external-link “It’s a sad day for me personally and for sport around the world.” Nadal defeated Federer 24 times in 40 matches during one of the most famous rivalries in tennis history. “It has been a pleasure, but also an honor and a privilege to share all these years with you, experiencing so many amazing moments on and off the court,” said Nadal. “We will have many more moments to share together in the future, there are still many things to do together, we know that. “For now, I really wish you all the happiness with your wife Mirka, your children, your family and enjoy what lies ahead. I’ll see you in London.”
“The most complete game of its generation”
Wimbledon: Roger Federer record eight Wimbledon titles Federer made his professional debut at the age of 16 in 1998 and won his first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 2003. All England Lawn Tennis Club president Ian Hewitt congratulated Federer on a “truly remarkable career”. “He will forever be celebrated as one of our greatest Wimbledon champions, lifting the trophy eight times from his 22 appearances at the All England Club,” added Hewitt. Billie Jean King, a 12-time Grand Slam winner, said Federer is a “champion”. “He has the most complete game of his generation and won the hearts of fans around the world with an amazing speed on the court and a strong tennis mind,” he tweeted. Former world number one Rod Laver also tweeted: “Thank you for everything Roger. See you soon.” Eighteen-time Grand Slam singles champion Martina Navratilova said of Federer’s announcement: “What a heartfelt message, full of love, life, hope, passion and gratitude. This is exactly how Roger played the game we love so much. Thank you, thank you thank you , for all the magic!” Stan Wawrinka, who won doubles gold for Switzerland with Federer at the 2008 Olympics, said: “Forever grateful for all the memories on and off the court. Tennis will never be the same without you. Enjoy the next chapter in your life with your beautiful family.” ATP President Andrea Gaudenzi said: “He has ushered in an incredible new era of growth and raised the profile of our sport. Few athletes have transcended their field in such a way.” Former British number one Annabel Croft told BBC Radio 5 Live: “When I think of Roger Federer, I think of his grace, his fluidity, his beauty, the way he played tennis. “What a great icon for the sport, he kind of went above and beyond. “He was also someone who was incredibly strong mentally. In most of the matches he played he had a huge big target on his back. But he seemed to be enjoying himself and enjoying himself [being] under pressure.” US Open champion and men’s world number one Carlos Alcaraz said on Twitter that Federer “was one of my idols and an inspiration”, while top-ranked player Iga Swiatek thanked Federer for all he had done for the sport of tennis. Former Swiss Davis Cup captain Claudio Mezzadri referred to Federer as “much more than just a tennis player”. “It’s an unbelievable career, he played for 24 years. He played more than 1,500 games. It’s something impossible to think about. He was such a nice guy, he was great to watch with the elegance and style that he had and still has, but he was also a great person off the pitch,” Mezzadri told BBC Radio 5 Live.
