Roger Federer, a genius who made tennis look effortless and fun to watch, died Tuesday at age 65, his brother said.
Federer was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in January 2014 and underwent surgery the following month, ending his 2014-15 world title campaign. He was back at full speed in April 2015.
Federer’s brother Bjorn, who lives in Switzerland, confirmed the news on his Facebook page.
“He lived a wonderful life and leaves his wife and children in a happy and healthy state,” he said.
He went on to add that he and “his family are all very sad about the news.”
“He was a true champion in every aspect of his life,” he said. “He will be remembered as one of the greatest sportsmen in the history of our sport.”
Federer’s career was a remarkable story from beginning to end: He was a promising junior tennis player, playing for the Italian National team in 1973, and he went on to become World No. 1 in the world in 1984.
His biggest moment came at the 1994 Australian Open when he lifted the first major title in his career. He then held the world No. 1 ranking for 12 consecutive years, losing it only in 1999. He finally relinquished the crown in 2005 and regained it in 2008, only to relinquish it again in 2011.
In 2011, he won his record 11th Grand Slam in the U.S. Open. Federer set records after he reached the third round of the Australian Open in 1996 by reaching his first Grand Slam final and finishing in 3rd.
The most important thing about Federer’s legacy is that he never forgot his roots and that he still had fun being a player — which is something that has been sorely missing in the sport over the years. His life, in every sense,
