Everyone knew this moment would come. He was – by sporting standards – big. “An adult is a child with a past,” said Zarko Petan. And his own past was sprinkled with a lot of stardust.

Roger Federer retires from tennis after winning a total of 20 Grand Slams and 103 titles. It remained at the top of the world rankings for 310 weeks, 237 consecutive times. He fought over 1,500 career fights with an 82% win rate, with 1,251 wins and 275 wins. He didn’t give up the fight!

But numbers and statistics are the best way to lie! Cold numbers are not enough to understand what Federer was like in the 24 years he played professional tennis. The Swiss tennis legend has the third most Grand Slam wins behind Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic, and the second most titles in total behind Jimmy Connors.

But it was he who set new standards in tennis. The one who dominated for over ten years. The one who was loved by the world. How the numbers reflect his unparalleled technique. His backhand, which looked like it came out of Picasso’s workshop, his forehand, which unfolded gracefully, like Nureyev in some scene. Correct artist. Court painter.

Federer is one of the few athletes in history who stands above the sport itself. Tennis will never be the same after he’s gone. His “battles” with Nadal and Djokovic took the sport to a new level, exploded its popularity around the world and spawned new generations of tennis players. Federer was the idol of all sports stars of that time. World No. 1 tennis player Carlos Alcarat said his big dream is to meet him face to face.

I wish we could stop time. Find a way to get the clock hands stuck. There, for six years from 2003 to 2009, he reached 21 Grand Slam finals, winning 15 of them. In 2009, in the Wimbledon final against Andy Roddick, he surpassed his idol Pete Sampras for Grand Slam titles.

In 2016, he rang his first “bell” when an injury forced him to take a short break from the court. He retired from Roland Garros, ending his impressive streak of 65 consecutive Grand Slams. He dropped to 16th in the world rankings and failed to win a title for the first time since 2000.

Confirmation of his greatness was the victory in the 18th Grand Slam in Australia in 2017 against Rafa Nadal, and then in Wimbledon. In January 2018, Roger Federer became the first tennis player to win 20 Grand Slam titles. The Australian public gave him a legendary standing ovation, he himself could hardly speak. Brave and everyone knew that the countdown was on.

Time, the biggest enemy of all. The one who will always win. Even the strongest and thinnest players that have ever appeared on earth.

Roger Federer announced his retirement from professional tennis on Thursday 15 September 2022. Tennis will never be the same after his retirement.

The king is gone, long live the king!