Roger Federer, legend of the tennis world, announced his retirement on Thursday. The Swiss superstar posted a video on his social media pages making the announcement.

He was due to play at the Laver Cup that will be held next week. It will mark the end of his 22 year career that saw him win 20 Grand Slam titles.

"I am 41 years old. I have played more than 1500 matches over 24 years. Tennis has treated me more generously than I ever would have dreamt, and now I must recognize when it is time to end my competitive career. The Laver Cup next week in London 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,”  Federer said.

A small retirement compared to a momentous career

Federer has been out of action for quite some time now, owing to a knee injury he had sustained. He had undergone a second knee surgery last year hoping to make a comeback forone last time. But that isn't to be as the age has clearly taken a toll.

Often considered the GOAT, Federer had dominated men's tennis for plenty of years. He was the man to beat for the major part of 2003 till 2008. Hardly anyone came close to beating him on the faster courts. Over the next few years he had to share his dominance with others like Nadal, Djokovic and Murray. He had another amazing run of form when he came back from injury to reach major Finals from 2017 to 2019.

But a second knee surgery is a step too far for the 41-year-old who would look to end his professional career on a happy note by winning the Laver Cup alongside the others from the 'Big Four'.