Roger Federer has announced his retirement from tennis, declaring next week's Laver Cup in London will be his farewell tournament.
The Swiss great, who has won 20 grand slams, becomes the first of the 'Big Three' on the men's tour to call it a day, with Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic still active.
Federer said he was making a "bittersweet decision", having battled knee injuries in the hope of returning to the tour.
Now 41 years old, Federer wrote in a statement on social media on Thursday: "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. But I also know my body's capacities and limits, and its message to me lately has been clear.
"I have played more than 1,500 matches over 24 years. Tennis has treated me more generously than I ever would have dreamt, and now I must recognise when it is time to end my competitive career.
"The Laver Cup next week in London will be my final ATP event. I will play more tennis in the future, of course, but just not in grand slams or on the tour."
The Swiss great, who won eight men's singles Wimbledon titles, said he would "miss everything the tour has given me".
He returned to Wimbledon this year for a parade of champions, and said at the time he hoped to play there again, but in a competitive sense that will not happen.
Federer said there was "so much to celebrate", adding: "I consider myself one of the most fortunate people on Earth. I was given a special talent to play tennis, and I did it at a level that I never imagined, for much longer than I ever thought possible."
A player whose skills could take the breath away, Federer might trail Nadal by two and Djokovic by one on the all-time list of men's grand slam winners, but to many he will be remembered as the greatest of the trio.
Federer was a virtuoso with racket in hand, going past the previous record of men's grand slam singles wins held by Pete Sampras when landing his 15th major after an epic victory over Andy Roddick in the 2009 Wimbledon final.
He thanked his family and his support team in his announcement on Thursday, and hailed the fans who have always had his back.
Last year, Federer won the ATP's Fans' Favourite award for a 19th successive season.
He said: "You will never know how much strength and belief you have given me. The inspiring feeling of walking into full stadiums and arenas has been one of the huge thrills in my life. Without you, those successes would have felt lonely, rather than filled with joy and energy."
Federer has a financial stake in the Laver Cup, and earmarked it earlier this year as one of two comeback events, along with his home Swiss Indoors event in Basel next month.
However, now the hopes of playing that Basel event look to have been dashed.
His retirement decision comes in the wake of Serena Williams announcing last month she would be "evolving away from tennis".
Although she has tenuously left the door open for a change of heart, Williams' announcement was also effectively one of retirement too, and she was given a rousing send-off at the US Open.
Federer, whose career ran in close tandem with that of Williams, described his own career as "an incredible adventure".
"While it sometimes feels like it went by in 24 hours, it has also been so deep and so magical that it seems as if I've already lived a full lifetime," he added.
"I have had the immense fortune to play in front of you in over 40 different countries. I have laughed and cried, felt joy and pain, and most of all I have felt incredibly alive."
He recalled being "a ball kid" in Basel in his youth, and seeing players of a past generation at close quarters.
"They were like giants to me and I began to dream," Federer wrote. "My dreams led me to work harder and I started to believe in myself."
Federer had a reputation early in his career as a racket-smasher, and it was not clear that he had the temperament to maximise his talent.
That soon emerged, though, and Federer explained: "Some success brought me confidence and I was on my way to the most amazing journey that led to this day.
"So, I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart, to everyone around the world who has helped make the dream of a young Swiss ball kid come true."
He added: "Finally, to the game of tennis, I love you and will never leave you."
Rybakina books place in Miami Open final after extending winning streak to 13
Elena Rybakina is now one win away from completing the Sunshine Double after defeating Jessica Pegula 7-6 (7-3) 6-4 in Thursday's Miami Open semi-final.
Only four women have ever claimed the Sunshine Double – which requires winning both the Indian Wells Open and Miami Open. Steffi Graf did it in both 1994 and 1996, Kim Clijsters did it in 2005, Victoria Azarenka accomplished the feat in 2016 and current world number one Iga Swiatek did it just 12 months ago.
Rybakina sent a message to the tennis world as she knocked out both world number one Iga Swiatek and world number two Aryna Sabalenka to take home the Indian Wells crown, and she has carried that form into Miami.
After prevailing in three-setters against Anna Kalinskaya and Paula Badosa, the Kazakhstan representative has now rattled off consecutive straight sets victories against Elise Mertens, Martina Trevisan and Pegula to extend her winning streak to 13 matches.
Against Pegula, Rybakina served 11 aces to the American's one, and in the process she became the first woman to serve at least 10 aces during five matches in the same tournament since Serena Williams back at Wimbledon in 2016.
By securing the first-set tiebreaker, Rybakina claimed her tour-leading seventh tiebreaker win of the season, with a perfect 7-0 record.
She will meet the winner between Petra Kvitova and Sorana Cirstea in the final after the Czech veteran emerged victorious 6-4 3-6 6-3 in her quarter-final against Russia's Ekaterina Alexandrova.
The neck-and-neck contest saw Kvitova only narrowly edge the total point count 96-91, but she created nine break points to Alexandrova's six.
Kvitova, 33, is now one win away from her 41st WTA singles final, where she would be seeking her 30th WTA title, and her ninth at the WTA 1000 level. It would be her first at this level since the 2018 Madrid Open, following defeats in the finals of the 2019 Dubai Championships, the 2020 Qatar Open and the 2022 Cincinnati Open.
Alcaraz continues quest for Sunshine Double with Fritz win, Medvedev and Khachanov progress
World number one Carlos Alcaraz made it 10 wins in a row in Miami and kept alive his hopes of a rare Sunshine Double as he beat Taylor Fritz in straight sets in Thursday's quarter-finals.
Alcaraz swept aside the 2022 Indian Wells champion 6-4 6-2 in a lopsided Miami Open contest which lasted only 79 minutes, with the Spaniard breaking Fritz in the opening game of both sets.
Both players hit 20 winners, including 11 each on their respective forehands, but Fritz almost doubled Alcaraz' unforced errors count (28-13).
The 19-year-old was impressive from the baseline and overwhelmed Fritz in the end. The American only won 38 per cent on his second serve.
Alcaraz, who won the Indian Wells title a fortnight ago, remains on track to become the eighth male to win the Sunshine Double (Indian Wells and Miami), with Roger Federer the last to achieve that in 2017.
The Spaniard would join Federer (2005, 2006, 2017), Novak Djokovic (2011, 2014, 2015, 2016), Andre Agassi (2001), Marcelo Rios (1998), Pete Sampras (1994), Michael Chang (1992) and Jim Courier (1991) in achieving the Sunshine Double.
Alcaraz will take on Italian 10th seed Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals, after the duo faced off in the Indian Wells last four a fortnight ago, with the Spaniard winning in straight sets.
In-form Daniil Medvedev progressed to the semi-finals with a 6-3 7-5 victory over American qualifier Chrstopher Eubanks, who had enjoyed a dream run in Miami.
Medvedev has a 27-3 record this season and will pursue a fifth straight ATP Tour final when he takes on compatriot Karen Khachanov in the semi-finals.
Khachanov, who made this year's Australian Open semi-finals, defeated Francisco Cerundolo 6-3 6-2 in 76 minutes.
Medvedev chasing fifth straight final - 'I've never had such a good start to the season'
Daniil Medvedev says he has never started a season this well before following his 27th victory of the year to secure his place in the Miami Open semi-finals on Thursday.
The Russian world number five prevailed over American qualifier Christopher Eubanks 6-3 7-5 to qualify for the Miami semis after falling in the last eight in both 2021 and 2022.
Medvedev's progress comes after his 19-match winning run was ended in the Indian Wells Open final by Carlos Alcaraz a fortnight ago.
The 27-year-old has now won 22 of his past 23 matches and is 27-3 on the season, having won titles in Rotterdam, Doha and Dubai and is now chasing a fifth straight appearance in an ATP Tour final.
"I have never had such a good start to the season," Medvedev said. "A lot of matches won, tournaments won. I am really happy.
"I was disappointed at Indian Wells when my streak ended on the same number as last time. The only thing you can do is begin a new streak and I am happy to bring my form into Miami."
Medvedev will rise up to fourth in the ATP rankings if he lifts the Miami title, with the incumbent Casper Ruud suffering a third-round loss to Botic van de Zandschulp earlier this week.
The 2021 US Open champion is clear atop the ATP standings for most match wins in 2023, with his 27 well ahead of the next best, Cameron Norrie (21-5).
The Russian, who will take on countryman Karen Khachanov in the semi-finals, credited work with mental coaches for his improvement in 2023.
"That's something I want to improve," he said. "For example, talking about Indian Wells, I had my tantrums, which it's not good.
"It can throw you out from the concentration, and it's not a good look anyway, but I managed to still win matches and still be concentrated during those matches."
On the Khachanov match-up, which he leads 3-1 on head-to-head, he added: "I think maybe just a little bit you have to kind of force yourself even more to be focused, and when I say this, it's just because they know your game so well and you know theirs so well.
"I'm almost sure we know how the match is going to go tomorrow, and it's a question of who's going to make the best shot out of [the shots] we're going to play."
Mar 28, 2023 NBA
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