Roger Federer’s first steps with the pros in Toulouse
The Swiss Roger Federer announces, Thursday, September 15, that he is retiring 24 years after his match on a professional circuit which took place… in Toulouse. Back to the first steps of a legend.
Another tennis legend retires. Two weeks after Serena Williams, the Swiss Roger Federer announced Thursday, September 15 that he will retire after the Laver Cup. This competition, of which he is the inspiration, takes place from September 23 to 25.
To my tennis family and beyond,
With love,
roger pic.twitter.com/1UISwK1NIN—Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) September 15, 2022
” I know the capacities and the limits of my body, and the message he sent to me lately is clear,” the 41-year-old explained. “It’s a bittersweet decision because I will miss everything the circuit has given me. But, at the same time, there is so much to celebrate. »
This tennis star has twenty Grand Slam titles to his credit. Six Australian Open, one Roland-Garros, five US Open and eight Wimbledon. But the former world number one no longer played in international competition after his elimination in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon in 2021 and a knee injury.
Roger Federer at the Toulouse ATP Open
In Toulouse, tennis fans will not forget that it was in the Pink City that Roger Federer took his first steps on the professional circuit. The future Grand Slam title record holder was just 17 when he competed at the ATP Toulouse Opena tournament whose last edition dates back to the year 2000.
El francés Guillaume Raoux fue the first victory of Federer in a main draw of ATP: in Toulouse 1998. pic.twitter.com/LYSBhEE99R
— The motherboard (@themainboardec) September 15, 2022
The young tennis player, then unknown to the general public, had to rub shoulders with the qualifying phases, the antechamber of the tournament. Then on September 30, 1998, the Swiss, ranked 878th in the standings, beat Frenchman Guillaume Raoux (45th) 6-2, 6-2. He thus reported his first victory on a major ATP circuit. He will then reach the quarter-finals of this tournament, which he therefore did not win.