1 / 82022 is turning out to be a year of departure in the world of sports. Several big names in sports, from Roger Federer and Serena Williams in tennis to Mithali Raj in cricket, have announced their retirements. This list of players retiring in 2022 is only going to get longer as the likes of cricketer Jhulan Goswami and F1 racer Sebastian Vettel will also be walking in the sunset in the coming days and months. Here is a look at the sports persons who have bid farewell in 2022.
2 / 8One of the greatest men's singles tennis players of the Open Era, Roger Federer announced his retirement from professional tennis on September 15. The Swiss Maestro will feature in this month's Laver Cup which will be his last ATP tournament. (Image: AP)
3 / 8It has been a tough year for tennis more than other sports. A few weeks back, Sarena Williams, another all-time great, too bid farewell from professional tennis. The tennis great played her last game at the US Open. The 40-year-old reached the third round of the US Open where she lost against Ajla Tomljanović of Australia thereby ending a glittering 27-year-long professional tennis career. (Image: AP)
4 / 8Early in 2022, the tennis world received a shock as 26-year-old Ashleigh Barty declared in an interview that she had decided to walk away from the sport. Barty had just won the Australian Open in 2022. But the former World no.1 had decided to move on from the sport after feeling "spent". Barty had also played cricket for a while. Other famous tennis players who have retired from tennis this year are Jo Wilfried Tsonga and Juan Martin Del Potro (Image: BJKCup Twitter).
5 / 8In cricket, the captain of India's women's team Mithali Raj ended her 23-year-long career a little after India's exit from the Women's ODI World Cup played in New Zealand. Mithali Raj walked away with a plethora of batting and captaincy records to her name. Mithali will soon be joined in retirement by her former teammate and friend, Indian fast bowler Jhulan Goswami. The bowler will retire at the end of India's ongoing tour of England. (Image: Getty).
6 / 8Aussie batter Rachel Haynes announced her departure from international cricket on September 15. The 35-year-old batter represented the Australian women's cricket team for over a decade and was part of three ODI World Cups and three T20 World Cups winning squads. 2022 is turning out to be the year of departure for women cricketers. Other cricketers who have bid farewell to the sport this year are South Africa's Mignon du Preez, England's Kathrine Brunt and Anya Shurbshole, New Zealand's Katey Martin and Amy Satterthwaite and West Indies' Deandra Dottin. (Image: Getty).
7 / 8In men's cricket, batsman Robin Uthappa retired from all forms of cricket on September 14. Uthappa had represented India in the 2004 Under-19 World Cup and played 46 ODIs and 13 T20Is for the senior team. Uthappa had played IPL for MI, CSK, KKR, RCB, PW and RR. Uthappa's former India and CSK teammate Suresh Raina has also retired from all forms of cricket in September. (Image: BCCI).
8 / 8The world of football also saw some big names exiting the sport. Argentina forward Carlos Tevez announced his retirement from football in June. Other top footballers who have retired this year are Jack Wilshere, Jermain Defoe, Mousa Dembele and Mark Nobel.(Image: FootballKings_ Twitter).
