Roger Federer, a 20-time Grand Slam singles champion, on Thursday announced his retirement from top-level tennis, saying that the Laver cup will be his final ATP tour event. Federer broke the news in a lengthy social media post, stating "I am 41 years old, I've played more than 1,500 matches over 24 years, and tennis has treated me more generously than I ever would have dreamt." Soon after the announcement, social media broke with congratulatory messages lauding Federer's rich contribution to the sport. Bollywood celebrities including Kareena Kapoor Khan, Anushka Sharma, Dia Mirza, Pooja Hegde also reacted to Federer's retirement.
Actress Anushka Sharma took to her Instagram story to share the news. "Genius," she wrote, adding a red heartbreak emoji.
Kareena Kapoor Khan called Federer a "legend."
"Legend. My all time favourite. What an amazing human being," Dia Mirza wrote on Instagram Story.
Federer's decision to retire has left Pooja Hegde emotional. "Cannot...but what a legacy," she wrote on Instagram Story along with crying emojis.
Federer won his first grand slam in the year 2003 when he won the Wimbledon title. He has since gone on to win 6 Australian Open, 1 French Open, 8 Wimbledon and 5 US Open titles.
"The Laver Cup next week will be my final ATP event. I will play more tennis in the future of course but just not in grand slams or on the tour. This is a bitter sweet decision because I will miss everything the tour has given me. But at the same time, there is so much to celebrate. I consider myself one of the most fortunate people on earth. I was given a special talent to play tennis, and I did it at a level that I never imagined, for much longer than I ever thought possible," Federer said in the note.
"I would like to especially thank my amazing wife Mirka who has lived through every minute with me. She has warmed me up before finals, watched countless matches even while over 8 months pregnant. And has endured my goofy side on the road with my team for over 20 years. I also want to thank my 4 wonderful children for supporting me, always eager to explore new places and creating wonderful memories along the way," he concluded.
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-with ANI inputs
