Tennis: "Stopping was no longer in doubt", Federer speaks for the first time after the announcement of his retirement

Stopping was no longer in doubt.

The decision was made in a few days.

When I returned to Wimbledon

, I said on the pitch that I hoped to come back again, and I meant it.

But ten days later, the knee was still at the same stage, I saw no further progress.

I had a scan, the result was not terrible, so I understood that, once again in my life, I had come to an intersection and that I had to ask myself the right questions.

I was already advancing on very thin ice, why persist?

There, I said to myself: ''OK, I understood.

This time it's over.

And I know it's the right decision.'' It was towards the end of July, but I then remained well three weeks without drawing the conclusions of my decision.

The comeback of 2021 was difficult.

I was not 100%, so the quarter-finals at Wimbledon were already very good.

But after this last match, I understood that it wasn't going anymore, that it wouldn't come back and I lived one of the most difficult moments of my career.

I wasn't sure what I was going to say to the press;

luckily no one asked me how my knee was doing.

No one felt that for me it was over.

I tried to think of everything, including the death of Queen Elisabeth II: did I have the right to announce this during the time of mourning?

At some point, I also wanted to do it much earlier to free myself from this tension… It wasn't easy, but I think things are fine as they are in the end

“I thought a lot about how to do it.

We think what we want of social networks but they have the merit of being able to reach everyone at the same time.

Afterwards, I didn't want to make a video of myself and say to myself in ten years: “Oh my God!, what is that?”.

So I thought a letter, which I could read for audio, would be better.

I wanted to write it myself so that it had a personal touch, but I'm not used to writing.

It was too long, I was disturbed all the time, there are children, I made 25 versions.

In all, it took me two weeks.

"

When I posted the message, nothing happened for four minutes.

People listened to the message.

Then everything came.

I haven't looked too much, especially the subjects in the newspapers or on television, I will do it later, calmly.

What touched me was that a lot of the messages didn't talk about records or points.

They were talking about how I behaved, who I am, and I found that beautiful.

I don't like telling the fans that it's over, that I'm never coming back.

I always find it unfortunate that the very good players stop and that we no longer see them afterwards.

Exhibition matches, I will gladly do if I can.

I love sport too much and it can be an opportunity to have a good time, to invite my coaches, to thank the fans.