TEN icons who could soon follow tennis legend Roger Federer into retirement

As Roger Federer prepares for his last ever occasion on the Laver Cup subsequent weekend, tennis is on standby – and soon all the sporting world will follow.

The Swiss legend has been the face of tennis for nearly twenty years – regardless of sharing the highlight with Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic in latest occasions – and his absence from the circuit will little question be felt in years to return.

When the 20-time Grand Slam champion introduced he was bowing out on Thursday, it transcended tennis. His retirement was felt by hundreds of thousands, inside and outdoors the world of sport. After all, that is the person who was as soon as voted the world’s second most revered individual after Nelson Mandela.

Tennis legend and 20-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer has introduced his retirement

Whether or not he’s commemorated as the best of all-time, Federer will eternally be thought of a sporting icon. And his farewell will act, in some ways, as a canary down the mine for a number of different sports activities.

Despite dominating for the final 15 to twenty years, a handful of sporting icons will inevitably have to hold up their boots, gloves, golf equipment and rackets within the very close to future – and the world of sport should adapt in consequence.

Sportsmail has recognized 10 iconic sports activities stars who are nearing the ultimate chapters of their respective careers following Federer’s retirement from tennis…

The 41-year-old star could nicely be the primary of many sporting icons to retire within the subsequent few years

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Cristiano Ronaldo

The Portuguese celebrity has shared soccer’s highlight with Lionel Messi for nearly twenty years, having first joined at Manchester United in 2003 from Sporting Lisbon.

Five Ballon d’Or awards, 699 membership objectives and 24 main trophies later, Ronaldo is broadly considered one of many biggest ever gamers to grace the soccer pitch.

In phrases of affect off the sphere, it’s arduous to think about anybody extra outstanding off the sphere within the historical past of soccer — the 37-year-old has racked up 477million followers on Instagram alone.

Cristiano Ronaldo gained 5 Ballon d’Or awards earlier than returning to Manchester United final yr

However, with the Manchester United star determined for a transfer away from Old Trafford this summer time, Ronaldo is little question eager to optimise the latter levels of his profession, with the specter of retirement inevitably on the horizon.

Despite his goal-scoring skills, new Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag has opted to bench the veteran in favour of Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and new boy Antony in assault, suggesting he now lacks the physique – or maybe the temperament – to play in a high-octane system.

Waving farewell to Ronaldo within the subsequent few seasons will current soccer with one of many sport’s most high-profile retirements in historical past.

Lionel Messi  

Ronaldo and Messi are subsequent to one another on a number of illustrious lists and this one is not any completely different.

The Argentine record-breaker has performed soccer with jaw-dropping brilliance all through his profession at Barcelona and PSG, scoring 688 membership objectives to earn seven Ballon d’Or trophies and 24 main titles.

Comparing the pair in opposition to one another has sparked widespread debate and controversy over the past 15 to twenty years, however as a collective Messi and Ronaldo have been the kings of soccer for thus lengthy and it’s unusual to think about the game with out them.

Lionel Messi will probably be hoping to deliver the Champions League trophy to Paris earlier than he retires

At 35, Messi is constant to flourish in Paris with the French champions and can little question have set his sights on the elusive Champions League trophy. (Elusive to PSG after all — the previous Barca star already has 4 to his title with the Spanish giants).

Whilst the ahead presumably, and hopefully, has a couple of extra years earlier than hanging up his boots, the soccer world has already began to consider its subsequent generational celebrity.

Whether it’s in-form Manchester City hitman Erling Haaland, Messi’s gifted team-mate Kylian Mbappe or another person completely, soccer is getting ready for the coronation of its new king.

LeBron James

Aside from maybe a couple of eccentric Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain supporters, Michael Jordan was thought of the undisputed biggest basketball participant of all-time till ‘King James’ strolled into Cleveland in 2003.

Now, not less than there’s a dialogue available.

LeBron has dominated the NBA since his introduction into the league virtually twenty years in the past, at present sitting second on the all-time scoring record behind Abdul-Jabbar, seventh in assists, tenth in steals and fourth in made free-throws. 

NBA star LeBron James sits second behind Karim Abdul-Jabbar on the all-time scoring record

Although the 37-year-old has endured two successive seasons of disappointment on the Lakers, crashing out within the first spherical to Phoenix in 2020-21 after which lacking out on the playoffs altogether final marketing campaign, he has nonetheless continued to put up unbelievable particular person numbers.

LeBron averaged over 30 factors per sport in Los Angeles final season — however he will probably be wanting to convert this into franchise success as he prepares for what guarantees to be certainly one of his final seasons within the NBA.

Tom Brady

Despite saying his retirement from the NFL in February, Brady made a sensational U-turn six weeks later to decide to his twenty third season.

The 45-year-old quarterback is broadly thought of one of many biggest athletes to grace the game, profitable six Super Bowls since his becoming a member of the NFL within the 2000 draft.

Despite rejoining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with the promise of getting ‘unfinished enterprise’ with the franchise, Brady’s days within the NFL are numbered and he’s simply as prone to name it quits on the finish of subsequent season.

Tom Brady introduced his retirement from NFL in February earlier than his U-turn six weeks later

However, nonetheless displaying he has loads left within the tank, Brady amassed a career-high 5,316 passing yards final marketing campaign.

He additionally holds the all-time information for passing yards and touchdowns, with 84,520 and 624 respectively.

Aaron Rodgers

Whilst he maybe doesn’t have the identical legendary standing as Brady, Rodgers is an NFL icon in his personal proper and can retire one biggest quarterbacks of all-time.

The four-time MVP winner, who has claimed the award within the final two seasons, is within the prime 10 for all-time passing yards and leads the league in landing to interception ratio.

Aaron Rodgers is a four-time MVP winner having claimed the award within the final two seasons

But stats apart, the 38-year-old will probably be missed for the persona and character he has delivered to the NFL.

In July, Rodgers arrived on the Packers’ coaching camp dressed as Nicolas Cage’s character in Con Air, sending followers into a frenzy. 

NFL will lose two iconic quarterbacks in Brady and Rodgers when the pair retire within the not so distant future. 

The 38-year-old arrived at Green Bay Packers’ coaching camp dressed like Nicolas Cage in July

Tiger Woods

Despite making a fairytale return to St Andrews in July for the one hundred and fiftieth Open, Woods is nearing the tip of his sensational profession after over 25 years as an expert.

The 15-time main winner carded nine-over-par throughout his opening two rounds to overlook the minimize by a distance, however he was cheered on like a champion as he approached the 18th fairway.

Woods’ heartfelt St Andrews second demonstrated how well-respected and celebrated the 46-year-old stays, regardless of coming into the ultimate levels of his profession.

St Andrews cheered jubilantly as Tiger Woods made his fairytale return to The Open in July

The accidents he sustained throughout a automotive crash in February 2021, while not life-threatening, have been sufficient to power any golfer to name an finish to their profession. Instead, because the true greats do, Woods battled on.

Whether he bows out tomorrow, or continues to limp from gap to gap as he did in St Andrews, the American will probably be remembered as one of many biggest of all time. 

With 15 in his trophy cupboard, Woods is second within the all-time charts for majors success — behind Jack Nicklaus on 18 — and has conquered 82 official PGA Tour occasions, topping the tree alongside Sam Snead.

Rafael Nadal

Serena Williams began the retirement domino impact in tennis. Soon after the record-breaking American bowed out on the US Open, Federer known as it a day.

Nadal, not less than when it comes to all-time greats, will certainly be subsequent to follow.

Having grappled with Mueller-Weiss Syndrome, a uncommon and painful foot situation, the Spaniard has postpone surgical procedure for longer than is medically suggested, in worry that going beneath the knife would immediate the tip of his profession.

Rafael Nadal has been struggling with a continual foot situation known as Mueller Weiss Syndrome

Yet, regardless of his continual damage, Nadal is constant to point out his Herculean skills on the tennis court docket, profitable each the Australian Open and French Open in 2022.

No male tennis participant in historical past can match the 36-year-old’s Grand Slam tally of twenty-two, though Djokovic stays one behind due to his triumph at Wimbledon in July.

Soon after Federer introduced his retirement, Nadal penned an emotional tribute to his ‘buddy and rival’.

He tweeted: ‘I want this present day would have by no means come. It’s a tragic day for me personally and for sports activities all over the world.’

No doubt sport will echo the identical when Nadal calls time. 

Lewis Hamilton

Perhaps probably the most iconic Formula One driver in historical past for his presence and affect each on and off the observe, Hamilton will retire nothing wanting a legend in sport. 

Tied with Michael Schumacher as probably the most adorned driver of all time, boasting seven driver’s championships since his first triumph in 2008, the 37-year-old has already etched his title firmly into the historical past books and can prone to proceed to alter the F1 panorama past retirement.

As the primary and solely black driver within the sport, Hamilton has stood up for variety and fought to fight racism throughout sport, resulting in his knighthood within the 2021 New Year’s Honours List.

Lewis Hamilton thought of retirement on the finish of final season earlier than returning for Mercedes

Although the Mercedes star is just not clashing wheel to wheel with reigning champion Max Verstappen as he was final season — which famously culminated in him dropping the championship in controversial vogue in Abu Dhabi — Hamilton continues to be top-of-the-line drivers on the grid.

After leaving followers in the dead of night throughout a lot of the low season earlier than returning to the cockpit in March, it could not be a shock to see the F1 icon bow out on the finish of this yr. 

Jimmy Anderson

Having acted as a key weapon in England’s bowling assault since his worldwide debut for England in 2003, Anderson will go down in historical past as one of many world’s biggest ever Test bowlers.

Third on the all-time record of wicket-takers — and prime amongst seam bowlers — the 40-year-old has earned an astonishing 667 dismissals for England in slightly below twenty years.

Only Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne have taken extra wickets than Jimmy Anderson

Only Sri Lankan off-break bowler Muttiah Muralitharan and Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne eclipse Anderson’s wicket-taking achievements in cricket amongst bowlers.

England tried to plan for all times past Anderson, dropping him and fellow veteran bowler Stuart Broad earlier this yr in an effort to boost the following technology, however the pair have been reintroduced to the facet beneath new captain Ben Stokes.

When Anderson lastly decides to name it quits, England will lose an distinctive bowler, and world cricket will wave farewell to one of many sport’s most iconic seamers.

Floyd Mayweather 

Okay, so Mayweather technically retired in 2017 after triumphing towards MMA star Conor McGregor. But boxing has not fairly mentioned goodbye to the American for good.

Floyd Mayweather has competed in a handful of exhibition fights since his retirement in 2017

Closing out with an outstanding 50-0 file, relationship again to his first bout in 1996, Mayweather racked up twelve world titles in addition to the lineal championship in 4 completely different weight lessons.

However, the 45-year-old fighter has since returned to the ring for a couple of exhibition fights, dealing with Tenshin Nasukawa in 2018, YouTuber Logan Paul in 2021 and Don Moore earlier this yr.

Whilst the skilled circuit has already come to phrases with Mayweather’s departure — and in some ways moved on since his retirement to crown new superstars in Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk — it’s going to little question be a wierd second when the all-time nice steps into the ring for the ultimate time.