We look back at the tennis stars who retired from 2022, from Roger Federer to Ashleigh Barty and many more:
Roger Federer
One of the greatest players to ever grace the game, Roger Federer retired from the sport in 2022 at the age of 41.
Having undergone three knee surgeries in two years, the Swiss was unable to recover and make a comeback this time around.
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Among Federer’s career achievements were 310 weeks spent at World No. 1, including a record 237 consecutive weeks from 2 February 2004 until 18 August 2008.
He ended with 20 Grand Slam crowns and 103 career titles.
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Immensely popular wherever he went, the Swiss was voted Fans’ Favourite in the annual ATP Awards for 19 consecutive years from 2003 to 2021.
Federer played his last match, a doubles with rival Rafael Nadal, at the Laver Cup.
Serena Williams
Serena Williams bade a tearful farewell to the sport at the US Open.
The American legend retired with the most number of singles Grand Slam titles in the Open Era: 23. She is just one short of the all-time record, held by Australia’s Margaret Court.
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Williams’ legacy, however, extends well beyond the tennis court.
She, along with elder sister Venus, not only overcame racial bias in the sport but also ushered in an era of power tennis.
In her career lasting well over two decades, Williams won a non-calendar Grand Slam (all four majors, also known as the Serena Slam) twice.
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The first from the 2002 French Open to 2003 Australian Open and the second from the 2014 US Open to 2015 Wimbledon.
Her last singles Grand Slam title came at the 2017 Australian Open, when she was eight weeks pregnant.
Though Williams made a successful comeback from childbirth, reaching four major finals, the record-tying 24th Grand Slam title eluded her.
Ashleigh Barty
Australian Open champion Ashleigh Barty got the ball rolling in March when she announced shock retirement at the age of 25, while ranked No 1 in the world.
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Only two months earlier, Barty had captured the home Slam to give the country its first homegrown women’s champion in 44 years.
Having won the French Open in 2019 and Wimbledon in 2021, she became the only active player apart from Williams, at the time, to win a Grand Slam title on three different surfaces.
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“There’s not right way, there’s no wrong way, it’s just my way,” the Australian said in the farewell interview.
Juan Martin Del Potro
After struggling with injury for years, Juan Martin Del Potro ended his career this February.
The 33-year-old gave his many fans around the world one final show as he played his first match since 2019 in Buenos Aires this February.
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Despite his time away due to multiple injuries and surgeries he remained a larger-than-life figure on the Tour.
Del Potro’s decorated career is highlighted by a US Open triumph in 2009 — when he ended Roger Federer’s five-year title reign in the final — among 22 tour-level titles.
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The Argentine, nicknamed the Tower of Tandil, is also a two-time Olympic medalist, winning singles bronze in 2012 (London) and silver in 2016 (Rio de Janeiro).
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga called time on his 18-year career at Roland Garros, bringing his joyful game to the fans in his home nation one final time.
The 6-foot-2 Frenchman masterfully combined power and athleticism in his game, which — coupled with his knack for entertainment — earned him fans across the globe.
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He is one of three players to defeat Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic while they were World No. 1, and is also one of three to defeat the legendary trio at the majors.
A former World No 5, Tsonga’s best Grand Slam performance came at the 2008 Australian Open when he reached the finals.
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The Frenchman beat Nadal in the semi-final but could beat Djokovic to the title.
2022 was a season of retirements in tennis. Here are some more high-profiles who called it a day:
Kevin Anderson
Gilles Simon
Andrea Petkovic
Andreas Seppi
Tommy Robredo
Sam Querrey
Sergiy Stakhovsky
Philipp Kohlschreiber
Bruno Soares
Monica Puig
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