Twitter salutes tennis ‘legend’ Roger Federer as Swiss marvel announces decision to retire after Laver Cup

Roger Federer on Thursday broke the news to fans that the upcoming Laver Cup in London will be the final time we will see the 20-time Grand Slam winner on the tennis court. Federer announced the news in a lengthy social media post, stating “tennis treated me more generously than I ever would have dreamt.”

Federer’s last appearance in tennis court was at elite grass court tournament Wimbledon last year, , which was a quarter-final defeat against Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz. Since then he has been battling a knee injury, for which he underwent three operations in the last two years. He will be seen in doubles action at the Laver Cup, where he will team up with long-time rival Rafa Nadal.

Roger Federer retires: Full text and audio of Swiss great’s statement

Soon after the announcement, social media broke with congratulatory messages lauding Federer’s rich contribution to the sport. Here are a few reactions:

The 41-year-old Swiss has won 20 Grand Slam titles and is regarded as one of the best players ever to wield a racket.

The news comes weeks after 23-time Grand Slam winner Serena Williams bid farewell to the sport after her exit from the US Open, which was won by Iga Swiatek.