Wimbledon to celebrate Federer’s career on Centre Court, Serena Williams declines invitation

Federer, who announced his retirement last year, won eight of his 20 Grand Slam singles championships at the All England Club, the most ever by a man — a mark that Novak Djokovic will try to equal this year.

Roger Federer waves during the 100 years of Centre Court celebration at the Wimbledon Championships in London. | Photo Credit: AP

Roger Federer will be back on Centre Court at Wimbledon on Tuesday. No, not to compete. He will be feted for his record-setting career at the grass-court Grand Slam tournament.

Federer, who announced his retirement last year, won eight of his 20 Grand Slam singles championships at the All England Club, the most ever by a man — a mark that Novak Djokovic will try to equal this year.

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Martina Navratilova set the overall standard by claiming nine women’s singles titles at Wimbledon.

“Pleased to say that Roger will be with us tomorrow, and we will have a special celebratory moment on Centre Court before play starts, just to honor him as the man holding the most Gentleman’s Singles titles here at Wimbledon,” All England Club chairman Sally Bolton said Monday, the first day of action at the two-week event.

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“We’ll have a moment just to celebrate his achievements and to say thank you, I think, for us, certainly, for all the memories,” Bolton said.

She said that Serena Williams, who won seven of her 23 major singles trophies at Wimbledon, was invited, too, “but ... she’s pregnant, so understandably couldn’t travel.”

Williams also retired after last season.

“(We) of course wish her lots of luck with the remainder of her pregnancy and we hope maybe we might see her next year,” Bolton said.