On September 15, 2022, Switzerland’s tennis legend Roger Federer announced retirement from professional sport. He hung up his boots after appearing in the 2022 Laver Cup. In the tournament, he allied with
Rafael Nadal for Team Europe in the doubles’ game against the United States (US) Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe. The match ended in the US pair’s favour. Federer ended his 24-year long career with 20 Grand Slam titles. He registered his last Grand Slam win in the 2018 Australian Open. He beat Croatia’s Marin Cillic in the final. After 2020, he suffered through his knee injury which impeded his thriving career.
Federer’s journey in professional tennis started in July 1998 with his ATP debut at the Swiss Open Gstaad, held in Switzerland. In his maiden match, he faced a defeat against the 88th-ranked Lucas Arnold Ker in the first round. His maiden title win came after 11 months of his debut. In the Challenger tour in Segovia, he paired with Sander Groen and defeated Alejandro Hernández and Ota Fukárek in the final. His first Grand Slam win came in the Wimbledon Open 2003 against Australia’s Mark Phillippoussis. The next year, he looked extraordinary and won three Grand Slams with his victories in the Australian Open, Wimbledon Open, and US Open.
Roger Federer’s rivalry with Rafael Nadal
Roger Federer, in his huge career, got stiff competition from Spain’sRafeal Nadal. Both played against each other in 24 contests with the Spanish leading with the 24-16 figures. However, Federer dominated Nadal on grass (3-1) and hard courts (11-9). In Grand Slams, both legends played against each other on nine occasions and Federer emerged victorious three times.
His three Grand Slam triumphs came in 2006, 2007, and 2017. In 2006, he beat Nadal in the Wimbledon Championship. The next year, he claimed another victory against the Spanish in the final held on a grass court. In 2017, when he won against his rival in the Australian Open, played on the hard court.
