No such thing as the perfect retirement now, is there? We’ve all seen it happen with Roger Federer. The Swiss Maestro had a bittersweet ending to his glorious two-decade-long career merely two years ago at the Laver Cup. Despite the much hue and cry surrounding his retirement, Federer was finally at peace. However, the losses leading up to his last professional match weren’t disregarded. Surprisingly, Federer acknowledged his decline during the concluding months of his career. This, in turn, has elicited a response from another player, whose recent retirement has placed her in a similar situation to the Swiss star.

Marred by several injuries, Federer was forced to call it quits. Unable to restore his physical fitness, the 43-year-old revealed his knee injuries were to blame for his unexpected retirement. “I knew I was on very thin ice for the last year, ever since I played Wimbledon. I tried to come back, but there was a limit to what I could do. And I stopped believing in it, to be honest.” Moreover, noteworthy results on the Tour did not exactly favor him during those struggling times. This is a relatable feeling for Shelby Rogers, who was prompted to repost Federer’s retirement post, subtly hinting at a similar string of underwhelming performances that led to her retirement.

In an Instagram story, Rogers’ cryptic reaction to Federer’s retirement post is hilariously wild. The Swiss star’s snapshots, showcasing his final moments as an active player at the Laver Cup, also detailed his recent losses. Voicing how every player dreams of a fairytale ending to their career, the 20-time Major champion highlighted his own, captioning how every last effort during the end of his career bore no fruition. However, the former World No. 1 was quick to note that, regardless of such results, his farewell couldn’t have been any better. Iterating his heartfelt message to players, American sensation Rogers dropped a laughing emoji under his post.

For those unaware, the 31-year-old WTA star walked away from the sport this year at the US Open. Sharing a similar fate to Federer’s, Rogers was quietly propelled to draw the curtain on her career.

Roger Federer alike meniscus tears led to Shelby Rogers’ retirement

After 14 years on the WTA Tour, Shelby Rogers hung up her racket at the 2024 US Open. Though her story doesn’t sound as unfortunate as Roger Federer’s, the 31-year-old endured similar struggles this year. Notably, she sustained a torn meniscus during her Wimbledon campaign and, despite her best efforts to address those concerns, her physical fitness only deteriorated.

What followed was a decline in her performances. Rogers was unable to script a noteworthy victory during her final adventures on the professional circuit, losing to less-experienced players in qualifiers. After enjoying a career-high ranking of No. 30, two quarterfinal appearances in Grand Slams, and participating in the 2017 Billie Jean King Cup, Rogers was content with her decision. “I’m really happy I did it. I couldn’t have written it a better way if I wanted to.”

While Rogers won’t be planning a return to the sport anytime soon, Federer, on the other hand, recently attended the Laver Cup in Berlin as a spectator. Hoping to thrill fans with his skills once again, the Swiss might play in a thriller exhibition event with his rival and close friend, Rafael Nadal.