Suave Federer's legacy extends far beyond records, GOAT debate

Roger Federer's fans call him the greatest of all time but the Swiss heads into retirement third on the all-time list of most Grand Slam titles, having been surpassed by long-time rivals Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

While the timing of the 41-year-old Federer's announcement Thursday was unexpected, the decision to bring down the curtain on an incredible career was less so, given his struggles with a knee problem.

Father Time inevitably caught up with the 20-time Grand Slam champion, who admitted his creaking body was no longer up to the rigours of the sport after more than 1,500 matches over 24 years.

Federer's last appearance came in a quarter-final loss to Hubert Hurkacz at last year's Wimbledon, where he broke through in 2001 with his famous win over Pete Sampras before lifting the first of his eight titles two years later.

Federer was out on his own as the sport's alpha male when he overtook Sampras's record of 14 Grand Slam wins at Wimbledon in 2009, with Nadal trailing on six majors and Djokovic on just one.

As the rush of big titles began to slow for Federer from 2010, his two great rivals stepped on the accelerator, consistently winning Grand Slams over the following decade, even though Federer returned to winning ways in 2017 and 2018.

Nadal pulled level on 20 Slams after winning the French Open in 2020 and Djokovic joined the party after scooping three majors during a stellar 2021 season.

The Spaniard surged in front with titles at this year's Australian Open and Roland Garros, while Djokovic eclipsed Federer by triumphing at Wimbledon for the seventh time.

With each of the "Big Three" supported by their own phalanx of die-hard supporters, many fans are captivated by the debate about who will ultimately emerge from