Tennis Great Roger Federer Insists He's Retiring: 'I Am Definitely Done'

Anna Lazarus Caplan
·2 min read
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Roger Federer of Switzerland greets the audience during the Centre Court Centenary Celebration during day seven of The Championships Wimbledon 2022 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 03, 2022 in London, England.
Roger Federer of Switzerland greets the audience during the Centre Court Centenary Celebration during day seven of The Championships Wimbledon 2022 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 03, 2022 in London, England.
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Shi Tang/Getty Roger Federer

Roger Federer is "definitely done" playing professional tennis.

The 20-time Grand Slam title winner, 41, tells TODAY's Savannah Guthrie in an exclusive interview airing on Wednesday that he is firm on his decision to end his playing days.

"You know un-retiring is a thing now," Guthrie says in a clip of the interview. "Tom Brady, now Serena seems to be wavering a little. You're done?"

But Federer replies quickly: "No, no. I am definitely done, I know that, yeah."

Guthrie's sit-down with the tennis icon — and her widely discussed celebrity crush — happened in London, where the anchor was already located for the network's ongoing coverage of Queen Elizabeth's death.

RELATED: Tennis Great Roger Federer Retiring After Laver Cup: 'This Is a Bittersweet Decision

In his retirement announcement last week on Twitter, Federer said this weekend's Laver Cup would be his final competitive tournament.

The men's tennis tournament — which Federer co-created five years ago — is scheduled for Sept. 23 through Sept. 25 at The O2 Arena in London, and airs on the Tennis Channel.

Roger Federer of Switzerland celebrates victory after winning his Men's Singles Fourth Round match against Lorenzo Sonego of Italy during Day Seven of The Championships - Wimbledon 2021 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 05, 2021 in London, England.
Roger Federer of Switzerland celebrates victory after winning his Men's Singles Fourth Round match against Lorenzo Sonego of Italy during Day Seven of The Championships - Wimbledon 2021 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 05, 2021 in London, England.

Clive Brunskill/Getty

Federer's Europe team features superstars including Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Casper Ruud and Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Last Thursday, Federer thanked his fans, coaches, fellow tennis foes and friends in his online announcement.

RELATED: Roger Federer Suggests Merging Men's and Women's Tennis Tours: 'Now Is Really the Time'

"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 and competitive form," he explained in a video shared on social media. "But I also know my body's capacities and limits and its message to me lately has been clear. I am 41 years old. I've played more than 1,500 matches over 24 years."

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He continued, "Tennis has treated me more generously than I ever would have dreamt, and now I must recognize when it is time to end my competitive career."