World of sport reacts to Roger Federer’s retirement
World of Sport’s Roger Federer: Roger Federer has announced that he will retire from tennis in 2012 at the age of 33.
Roger Federer told the German news agency DPA on Wednesday night that he will retire from professional tennis because of his body’s “physical exhaustion” and because he simply cannot physically keep up with the demands of the game.
Federer, who reached as high as No. 1 in world rankings last year, has dominated the sport throughout his career. However, his ability to stay on court and compete with the world’s best is limited because of his aging body.
The decision has made Federer one of the busiest sports figures in modern times, and has also prompted an outpouring of support.
A series of tributes have flooded in from sport’s highest reaches.
“Today – on behalf of the world of tennis, I, Roger Federer, announce that I am ending my career after nearly 15 years at the top of the game. I would like to thank to the people of my team, my manager, the people of Hamburg, my fans, my sponsors and friends. I would also like to thank my family for supporting me during this process. I wish you the best for the rest of this new stage,” said Federer, who was ranked No.1 in the world for six months before losing to Novak Djokovic in the U.S. Open final last year.
“I will miss this sport, have to give it up. It’s not for lack of trying. But I simply would not last any longer. The physical exhaustion and the pain in my body, which I am very aware of, forced me to say goodbye. That’s it.
“I would also like to thank my fiancée, Daniela, my children and my parents for supporting me during this difficult time. I will dedicate myself to the new challenges, new challenges on the tennis court, as a coach or an
