End of an era: Twitter reacts to tennis great Roger Federer's retirement

It was unexpected, but on the lines for a very long time as one of the greatest players to have ever played the game of Lawn Tennis, Roger Federer finally decided to retire. 

In a video uploaded on all his social media handles, the Swiss maestro said, “I am 41 years old, I’ve played more than 1,500 matches over 24 years, and tennis has treated me more generously than I ever would have dreamt.”

The 41-year-old further said that the Laver Cup exhibition in London next week will be the last competitive tennis that he is going to play and he will not be seen on tours and in grand slams anymore. 

Winner of eight Wimbledon championships, six Australian Opens, five U.S. Opens, and one Roland-Garros, Federer went on to thank his parents and his wife Mirka alongside his four children, his parents and his sister.

Federer, who picked up 103 titles on ATP tour, also thanked his managers and sponsors who have worked with him tirelessly. Apart from various tour titles and the grand slams, in his 24-year-long career, the man loved by most also won one Olympic doubles gold medal for Switzerland. 

Federer, who at one point spent a record 237 straight weeks as the No. 1 ranked player in the world, finished his four-pages long retirement letter with the following paragraph. 

“When my love of tennis started, I was a ball kid in my hometown of Basel. I used to watch the players with a sense of wonder. They were like giants to me and I began to dream. My dreams led me to work harder and I started to believe in myself. Some success brought me confidence and I was on my way to the most amazing journey that has led to this day.”