The Swiss professional tennis player Roger Federer said on Thursday he will retire from the ATP Tour, following the Laver Cup in London next week.
He won 20 Grand Slam men's singles titles, including 8 Wimbledon, 6 Australian Open, and 5 US Open.
"This is a bittersweet decision, " Roger Federer stated in his retirement announcement. The 41-year-old has suffered from knee problems over the previous three years and went past the fourth round in a Grand Slam only twice during that period.
He slid out of the top-50 global rankings this past June for the first time since 2000 and dropped totally out of the ATP singles rankings for the first time since his 1997 debut this past July, according to Yahoo! News.
One of the Best Players Ever
At his peak, Federer was the world's top tennis player.
He was number 1 in ATP for 237 straight weeks from Feb. 2, 2004, till Aug. 17, 2008 - the longest streak in history - and was the oldest player rated number 1 at the age of 36 on June 24, 2018.
Federer has won 82 percent of his 1,526 career singles matches and his 103 career titles rank second-most all-time in the Open Era. His 20 Grand Slam singles championships are only behind Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, who boast 21 and 22 trophies, respectively.
How Wealthy Is Roger Federer?
Federer made nearly $1 billion over his career - $130.6 million on the court and over $870 million off it. As Forbes points out, he is one of just six sportsmen to ever make over $1 billion, Marketwatch reported.
He played more than 1,500 matches over 24 years. He is thankful that tennis has treated him "more generously than I ever would have dreamt," Federer stated in his retirement declaration.
His success off the court was inevitably an extension of his skill on it. But marketing experts believe it was about something more. It wasn't that he was only a terrific player; it's that he carried himself with a particular bearing and dignity that made him all the more enticing to businesses.
Mike Fahey, head of marketing business and a tennis fan, described Federer as "eternally a gentleman." He said, "He doesn't throw tantrums. Doesn't hit the ball people. Doesn't abuse umpires. He's the ultimate class act."
Clemson University's Angeline Close Scheinbaum agrees. She stated that Federer is trustworthy, knowledgeable, credible, and handsome.
Over a dozen businesses have partnered with Federer, who is Swiss, in the past two decades, including Nike, Rolex, Mercedes-Benz, and Wilson.
He allegedly made $10 million a year from a 20-year agreement with Nike for shoes and apparel. Federer inked a $300 million, 10-year apparel agreement with Uniqlo in 2018. Soon after, he acquired 3% of On Running.
About 10 years ago, he mastered marketing. Federer quit sports agency powerhouse IMG in 2012 and founded TEAM8 with longtime agent Tony Godsick. Kurt Badenhausen says his profits have risen.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Roger Federer's Net Worth 2022 is $550 million. His ATP earnings totaled $130 million.
When Roger Federer's retirement was announced, he was immediately recognized to earn the third-highest sum in tennis history, after Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
Some of Roger Federer's career earning was used to improve lives. He founded the Roger Federer Foundation in 2003 to help disadvantaged youngsters access education and athletics.
Federer also has long supported the South Africa-Swiss organization IMBEWU, which focuses on social and health awareness of underprivileged youngsters.
Related Article : Roger Federer Says Laver Cup Will Be His Final Tournament; Tennis Legend Says Knee Problem Prompts Him To Retire
