Tennis legend Roger Federer stopped school at 16; here's why

Tennis icon Roger Federer announced his decision to retire from the sport once Laver Cup 2022 ends.

Federer, who is the first men's player to win 20 grand slam titles, made the announcement on his Twitter handle.

"The Laver Cup next week in London will be my final ATP event," said the statement posted on his Twitter account.

The Swiss-South African Tennis player, who has won 6 Australian Open, 1 French Open, 8 Wimbledon and 5 US Open titles, left his studies to start a career in the sport.

"I left home at 14 years old, stopped school at 16, and went on tour. Had a hard time understanding what hard work was, but eventually, I figured it out, thankfully, early enough," said Federer in an interview once, as quoted by Tennis World.

When he was 16 years old and no longer required to be registered in a school, Roger Federer chose not to attend college. Federer completed the mandatory 9 months of school education, to put the rest of his focus on playing the sport he loves - Tennis.

The Tennis great has received an honorary doctorate from the Faculty of Medicine at University of Basel for for “increasing the international reputation of Basel and Switzerland, as well as for his function as a role model athlete, who encourages many people around the world to be physically more active and thus contributes to the promotion of health”.