Watch: Wimbledon shares Roger Federer's emotional 2003 interview after his first-ever Slam title as Swiss great retires
Roger Federer announced his retirement from competitive tennis on Thursday and tributes have been pouring from all corners of the world for the Swiss great since.
Swiss tennis star Roger Federer announced his retirement from competitive tennis on Thursday, confirming that Laver Cup 2022 will be his last appearance in the professional sport. Widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all time, Federer will end his career with 20 Grand Slam titles that include a whopping eight Wimbledon Championships to his name. He is one of the select few players to have a career slam (winning all four Grand Slam titles in a career).
Wimbledon remained Federer's favourite hunting ground, as he won five successive titles at the All England Club between 2003-2007, and added another three in 2009, 2012, and 2017. As the Swiss tennis marvel drew the curtains on a stellar career, the official Twitter account of the Wimbledon posted a throwback video of Federer's interview after his first-ever title at the Championships in 2003, when he defeated Australia's Mark Philippoussis in straight sets.
Watch:
Federer spoke in the interview about his “dream” coming true as he lifted his first title, insisting he used to joke about winning the Wimbledon as a kid. The Swiss tennis star also went on to talk about his performances throughout the tournament that year, adding that he was surprised by his own ability to fight a back injury during the fourth round match against Feliciano Lopez.
Federer turned emotional towards the end of the interview as he talked about the people travelling from his home country to cheer for him.
In his retirement announcement, Federer stated that he gave much thought about his decision to retire, insisting that the injuries and surgeries forced him to take the call.
"As many of you know, the past three years have presented me with challenges in the form of injuries and surgeries. I've worked hard to return to full competitive form," Federer wrote on Twitter. "But I also know my body's capacities and limits, and its message to me lately has been clear."
Federer leaves with a total of 103 tour-level titles on his substantial resume and 1,251 wins in singles matches, both second only to Jimmy Connors in the Open era, which began in 1968.
