An era of class: Anoushey, Goher among others celebrate Federer's rich legacy

After athlete Serena Williams’ retirement blow to the tennis fraternity, the 20-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer has now announced that he will retire after the Laver Cup in London on Thursday. Federer broke the news in a long social media post, stating "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."

Given the legacy Federer will be leaving behind, his announcement broke the internet with congratulatory messages lauding his rich contribution to the sport. Celebrities from all over the world including our local artists Anoushey Ashraf, Goher Mumtaz, and Uzair Jaswal expressed their sorrow on Federer’s retirement.

Bollywood actors Anushka Sharma, and Kareena Kapoor Khan also gave a shoutout to Federer. Calling him a “genius”, the Ae Dil Hai Mushkil actor shared the news on her Instagram with a heartbreak emoji while Khan called Federer a "legend."

Federer won his first grand slam in the year 2003 when he won the Wimbledon title. He has since gone on to win 6 Australian Open, 1 French Open, 8 Wimbledon and 5 US Open titles. "The Laver Cup next week 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. This is a bittersweet decision because I will miss everything the tour has given me, Federer said in the note.

He concluded the note with gratitude for his family who supported him throughout his journey.