I have been mentally preparing for this day for some time now. But turns out I was not ready for the official announcement today.
It's not really a big shock or surprise at this point given he has already been away from the game for over a year, but just knowing that the last time we'll ever see him on any court is in a week's time at Laver Cup fills me with indescribable sadness.
I started following Roger's career fairly late in the game, around the time Martina Hingis was retiring for the first time (2006-2007) basically at the height of his career.
Or so I thought little did I know it was just beginning and we would have 15 years of greatness to look forward to.
The more I watched him the more I loved him, the elegance with which he played the way he moved as if almost floating on that court.
The way he showed respect for his opponents and the sport itself, the love he showed his legions of fans, everything about him appealed to me. He is the embodiment of the Greatest of All Time (and no amount of tittles or accolades for his peers will ever make me think otherwise).
I always thought he would give it one more go next year, and do a fair well tour of sorts, but understandably his body is telling him otherwise.
Frankly I always thought he would play his last tournament in his home town of Basel where it all started for him, but it's fitting he's bowing out at a tournament he created with Rod Laver one of his greatest idols.
He always said he wanted to end things while he's still able to do things with his kids like skiing, soccer, or some other sports he never got to take part in due to saving his body for tennis.
There will undoubtedly be many new players with similar game that will grace us with their talents on the court over the years, but to me there will always be only one Roger Federer.
Thank you Roger for your boundless talent, inspiration, grit, class, grace on and off the court, but most of all thank you for the memories, the moments of triumph and heartbreak I will never forget.
Your love, respect and appreciation for the sport, it's history and your fans will be profoundly missed.
The sport of Tennis will carry on, but it'll never be the same.
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