Berlin, 15 September 2022 (dpa/MIA) - Tennis great Roger Federer, 41, has announced his retirement from the sport following the upcoming Laver Cup. The 20-time grand slam singles champion, seen by many fans as the best men's tennis player ever, has been out all season after knee surgery but had been expected to bow out in 2023 after having a final cracks at the majors. Federer was due to make his comeback in next week's Laver Cup in London, a competition he helped dream up, but has now decided it will be his final professional tournament. "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 wrote 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." His announcement comes just weeks after women's tennis great Serena Williams said she was quitting the sport. Federer added: "I am 41 years old. 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." Federer's last grand slam title came at the 2018 Australian Open before injuries really began to hit. He has been usurped as the most successful men's grand slam singles player of all time by great rival Rafael Nadal, who now boasts 22 titles while Novak Djokovic has 21. But the numbers only tell part of the story. Many pundits agree no male player has ever made tennis look so effortless and few have been as courteous on and off the court. His first grand slam win came at Wimbledon in 2003 when he finally fulfilled his immense talent after a few missteps as a young player on tour. The once pony-tailed player soon completely dominated the ATP Tour and the grand slams, winning a record eight Wimbledon singles titles in all, including five in a row before a epic final loss to Nadal in 2008. He was world number one for a record 237 consecutive weeks as he racked up six Australian Opens, five US Opens and eventually the 2009 title at the French Open to complete the set. A gold medal in the Olympic doubles in 2008 and a silver in singles in 2012 were also highlights as well six end-of-season Tour Finals triumphs and the 2014 Davis Cup with Switzerland. Tributes to Federer poured in from across the tennis and sporting world. Nadal said he wished "this day would have never come" and that it's a sad one for him and for sports. "It’s been a pleasure but also an honor and privilege to share all these years with you, living so many amazing moments on and off the court," he wrote on Twitter. "We will have many more moments to share together in the future, there are still lots of things to do together," Nadal added. Carlos Alcaraz, who on Sunday won his first career grand slam with victory at the US Open, said Federer "has been one of my idols and a source of inspiration. hank you for everything you have done for our sport!" American Andy Roddick, who lost three Wimbledon finals to Federer, tweeted: "Cheers Roger. Thanks for the shared memories my friend. It was an honor to share time/experiences on the most hallowed grounds in our sport." The ATP Tour simply said: "You changed the game."