September 19, 2022: -Tennis legend Roger Federer is exiting after a 24-year career. The Swiss player told in a letter posted to Twitter on Thursday.

Federer said the Laver Cup in London would be his final ATP event in the coming week. He has encountered multiple injuries and surgeries and said he knows his “body’s capacities and limits.” He is posting a recording of himself reading the letter.

“Tennis is treating me more generously than I ever would have dreamt, and I must recognize when it is time to finish my competitive career,” Federer read. “I will play tennis, of course, but not in Grand Slams or on tour.”

The 41-year-old is a 20th Grand Slam champion. He holds the professional tennis record for the consecutive weeks at No. 1 with 237, and the record for the eldest player to rank No. 1, at 36, in 2018. He has played over 1,500 matches, and the ATP records that he served 11,478 aces.

“This is a bittersweet conclusion as I will miss everything the tour has given me,” Federer added. “But simultaneously, there is so much to celebrate. I take myself as one of the luckiest people on Earth.”

Federer became a pro as a teenager and established storied rivalries against fellow tennis legends Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

Federer recorded over $130 million in career earnings. His sponsors are Wilson, Rolex, Mercedes-Benz, Uniqlo, Moet Hennessey, and Credit Suisse. In the letter, he thanked his wife Mirka, his parents, his sister, and his business team.

At the U.S. Open in August, he referenced the possibility of his retirement, saying it was “almost time to retire but not yet.” Afterward, he walked that comment back as “a total joke,” according to NBC Sports.

Federer did not say what he planned to do after he retired from the tour, but he concluded the letter, writing, “Therefore, to the game of tennis, I love you and will never leave you.”