‘Tennis will never be the same’ – Roger Federer tributes pour in as Swiss legend confirms retirement

Emotional tributes are continuing to flood in after Roger Federer announced his retirement from tennis on Thursday.

The 20-time major champion, one of the sport’s all-time greats, will play his last ATP Tour event at the Laver Cup, taking place at The O2 in London next week.

Federer, 41, an eight-time Wimbledon winner, has not played competitively since last year’s Championships and missed SW19 for the first time since 1998 this summer as he continued recovery from a third knee surgery.

He dropped out of the world top 50 in June for the first time in 22 years and has fallen behind Novak Djokovic in the race for most major titles, with the Serbian registering his 21st Grand Slam win at this year’s Wimbledon to move one behind Rafael Nadal.

The Swiss superstar will undoubtedly go down as one of the sport’s greatest players and he joins another tennis legend – Serena Williams – in confirming his retirement this year after the American great decided to call time on her career after this year’s US Open.

‘I LOVE YOU, Roger,’ Juan Martin del Potro said, an Argentine former world No.3 who won Flushing Meadows in 2009.

‘Thank you for everything you’ve done in tennis and with myself. Tennis world will never be the same without you.’

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Wimbledon tweeted: ‘Roger, Where do we begin? It’s been a privilege to witness your journey and see you become a champion in every sense of the word.

‘We will so miss the sight of you gracing our courts, but all we can say for now is thank you, for the memories and joy you have given to so many.’

Former world No.1 Andy Roddick said: ‘Cheers Roger. Thanks for the shared memories my friend.

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