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A kiss goodbye to tennis: Roger Federer began his tennis career in 1998, and in 2022 the man from Basel ended his career at the age of 41 as a legend of the sport.
The turf specialist held the Wimbledon trophy, which Federer caresses here, eight times – more than any other player.
Photo: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
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The young Federer really showed up for the first time in the world class in 2000 (here on the sidelines of the Australian Open).
In the world rankings, he worked his way into the top 30, and at the Olympic Games in Sydney it was even enough to reach the semi-finals.
But things were just getting started for the teenager.
Photo: Claus Bergmann / IMAGO
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Soon the whole world would know the name Roger Federer - and know how to pronounce it: Unlike in Switzerland, Federer's first name is not pronounced in French but in English.
The tennis star owes this to his mother Lynette (here with father Robert), who comes from South Africa.
Photo: imago sport photo service / imago/Claus Bergmann
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Together with Martina Hingis, who was only one year older and who ensured the women's success, Federer founded a golden age in Swiss tennis around the turn of the millennium.
Photo: Hasenkopf / IMAGO
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In his early years, Federer was considered someone who had great talent, but who sometimes broke down when faced with the big tasks.
One or the other early elimination from Grand Slam tournaments had strengthened this image in public.
But in 2003 Federer silenced his doubters for the first time - with his first Wimbledon victory.
Photo: Bongarts / Bongarts/Getty Images
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It was the beginning of a generation change.
Andre Agassi and his ilk were gradually replaced, after his victory at the Australian Open in 2004 Federer topped the world rankings for the first time.
The Swiss spent a total of 310 weeks there, 237 of them in a row – a record series.
Photo: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
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In this new era, two players in particular were close on Federer's heels (and, later in his career, also often ahead of him): The Spaniard Rafael Nadal, who was probably even more dominant on clay than the strong all-rounder Federer on grass...
Photo: Michael Dodge/Getty Images
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...and the Serbian Novak Djoković, hard court specialist and the youngest of the big three of his time.
Photo: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
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Federer didn't only compete with the rest of the world's elite in the Grand Slams, all of which he was able to win as one of only eight players in history.
Federer was also always one of the medal candidates at the Olympic Games.
There was gold in Beijing in 2008 alongside Stan Wawrinka in doubles, in 2012 he was defeated in the singles competition by Andy Murray in London in the final – on the grounds of his “living room” Wimbledon.
Photo: NBCU Photo Bank/Getty Images
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With his versatile game, Federer inspired and enthused a whole generation of young tennis players.
The 19-year-old new world number one Carlos Alcaraz from Spain, stylistically a little more powerful and dynamic than the esthete Federer, reacted on social media with a small declaration of love to the old master and wrote: »Thank you for everything you did for our exercise."
Photo: Julian Finney/Getty Images
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Federer never stood out as a man of great controversy.
Popular with the fans and the competition, the Swiss was always considered a model professional and gentleman on the pitch.
Photo: Paul Kane/Getty Images
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Federer was voted "World Athlete of the Year" a total of five times (2005-2008, 2018), more often than any other athlete.
Photo:
Ryan Pierse/ATP Tour/Getty Images
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One last time tennis, one last time Wimbledon: Federer was last on the tennis court in 2021 when the Swiss failed in his favorite tournament in the quarterfinals against Hubert Hurkacz from Poland.
He should never return to active professional tennis, three knee operations since 2020 had ruined the physical conditions for competitive sports at the highest level.
Photo:
Julian Finney/Getty Images
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1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20: Only Novak Djokovic (21 titles) and Rafael Nadal (22 titles) celebrated more Grand Slam successes in men than Federer in their career.
Photo: Getty Images
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