Roger Federer to retire: Famous for his forehand, serve, respect

Roger Federer
Mal Tam/MALTphoto


The great Roger Federer will retire. The 20-time Grand Slam winner decided that trying to play in a competitive match was impossible. He has had a lot of surgeries, and to make an attempt to play in the fall, and next year too, was beyond what he was ready to do.

If you want to look at the quotes, there are dozens of them by people who really liked the man. Off the court, he is special, teaching them how to play better, and to re-act with them, too. He was not only just brilliant, but with his serve, into the corners, twisting, his famous forehand, and he would skip to the net. Also, who almost always returns, very deep, and he would mix it up all over the place. Most of the players would think, “Where is he going? I cannot figure it out.”

It is a sad day, but that happens with everyone who will retire.

Here are some good quotes from the ATP players. Here are some comments from the WTA players.

Next week, Federer will play an exhibition at the Laver Cup in London, along with Rafa Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray, among others. That will be sold out, up into the top at the ceiling.

NOTES
Both Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Świątek won the US Open, and they both played brilliantly. They are the No. 1s. They are very young, very fast and can also be so aggressive, with their forehands and backhands, too. They can return, and put it back deep, and they are also pretty good at the net. That is why they rose to No. 1.

Yes, they have improved a lot. But, this result doesn’t mean they will end up with more than a handful of majors. Don’t believe those TV commentators who have said. “Oh, for sure, he/she will win a lot of the Grand Slams.”

Yes, some did, but more than a few have won just one championship. If you look at the history, you will see that. Maybe he or she became hurt, and it was hard to play fantastic again. Or it was mental.

Do you want a list?

Here are a few who have retired, such as Andy Roddick, Caroline Wozniaki, Juan Martin Del Potro, Sam Stosur, Flavia Pennetta, Albert Costa, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Gaston Gaudio, Anastasia Myskina, Goran Ivanovic, Francesca Schiavone,and Marion Bartoli.

Now, with the current players, will they win a huge amount of the Grand Slams? Federer won 20, Rafa Nadal has 22 Slams, and Novak Djokovic has 21. Alcaraz has just one.

We can also Serena Williams won 23 Grand Slams. Others are close, like Steffi Graf (22), Martina Navratilova (18) Chris Evert (18).

Here is the list of current one-Slam wonders from the WTA: Bianca Andreescu, Emma Raducanu, Sofia Kenin, Jelena Ostapenko, Barbora Krejcikova and Sloane Stephens.

Świątek has won three now, and she is very young, so to get up to win 10 Slams, yes, it is possible. The same goes with Naomi Osaka, who has four.

However, will anyone reach five titles at the Slams before they retire? It is possible, but tough. They have won two Slams like Victoria Azarenka, Simona Halep, Petra Kvitova, Angelique Kerber, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Garbine Muguruza.

Can Świątek and Alcarez get in double digits for major victories. But, there is no sure choice who will be the future king and queen.