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Roger Federer has announced his retirement from tennis. To do this, he decided to publish a video in which he explains the reasons for his decision: to follow the video, the social post where there is the full letter that the Swiss wanted to write.
The dedication included everyone: friends, family, opponents, teams and above all fans.
Federer's full letter
"To my tennis family and beyond. Of all the gifts that tennis has given me over the years, the greatest is, without a doubt, that of introducing me to people along the way: my friends, my opponents and especially fans.
Today, I want to share some news with you. As everyone knows, the past three years have been a challenge for me in the form of injuries. I worked hard to get back, but my body sent me clear messages. Tennis has treated me better than I ever dreamed of, but I have to recognize the moment to end my professional career.
The Laver Cup in London next week will be my last ATP tournament. I will no longer participate in Grand Slams or tour tournaments. This was a bittersweet decision to make, because I will miss everything the tennis world has given me.
At the same time, there is so much to celebrate. I consider myself one of the luckiest people on earth, it has given me a special talent in tennis and it has given me a level I never imagined, for longer than I ever thought.
I would especially like to thank my wonderful wife Mira, who has lived all this with me, every minute. She heartened me before each final, seeing numerous matches even though she was eight months pregnant. I would like to thank my beautiful children for supporting me, always eager to explore new places and creating wonderful memories along the way.
Seeing my family cheering for me in the stands is a feeling I will always love. I would also like to thank my beloved parents and my beloved sister, without whom none of this would have been possible. A big thank you to all my coaches who guided me in the right direction, you were wonderful!
And to Swiss tennis, which believed in me from an early age and gave me the right start. I would like to thank my amazing team, Ivane, Dani, Roland, and especially Seve and Pierre, who gave me the best advice and were there for me.
Tony too, for running my business for over 17 years. You were amazing and I loved every minute. I would like to thank my sponsors, who have been partners for me; and all the ATP teams and tournaments, which have always given me a big and warm welcome.
I would also like to thank my opponents on the pitch. I have been lucky enough to play so many epic challenges that he will never forget. We fought fairly, with passion and intensity and I always tried to be respectful of the history of the game.
I am grateful for that. We pushed each other, and together we took tennis to new heights. I would especially like to thank my fans. You will never know how much strength you have given me. The feeling of having inspired walking through the full stadiums gave me goosebumps chills.
Without you, my successes would have been empty, without joy and energy. The last 24 years on the tour have been an adventure. While at times it felt like it all went by in 24 hours, at times it was so deep and magical that it felt like it lasted a lifetime.
I have been lucky enough to play in front of you in over 40 countries. I laughed and cried, I felt joy and pain, and at times I felt so alive. During my travels, I have been fortunate to meet wonderful people, who will stay in my life forever, who always have a minute of their life busy to come see me and cheer for me around the world.
Thank you. When my love of tennis started, I was a ball boy in my hometown of Basel. I used to look at players with a sense of admiration. They were giants for me and I was just starting my dream. My dreams made me work hard and I started believing in myself.
Some successes brought me self-confidence and I was on my way to the greatest journey, which would lead me to this day. So I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart, to all those around the world who have helped realize the dream of a Swiss ball boy. Finally, to the world of tennis: I love you and I will never leave you. Roger Federer."
