Swiss tennis icon Roger Federer retires

Fri, Sep 16th 2022

Why a proposed nuclear waste site has Germany speaking out, the future of Swiss hydropower and more in our roundup of news from September 13 – 16.

Federer playing at the Davis Cup in Geneva in 2015.

Roger Federer announces retirement at 41

Switzerland’s most famous tennis player, Roger Federer, announced this week he will retire from professional tennis after next week’s Laver Cup in London. “As many of you know, the past three years have presented me with challenges in the form of injuries and surgeries. I’ve worked hard to return to full competitive form, but I also know my body’s capacities and limits and its message to me lately has been clear. I am 41 years old. I have played more than 1,500 matches over 24 years,” Federer said. The Basel-born athlete first rose to fame at age 22; and, he also is the oldest player to hold the number one title at age 36. He took home 20 Grand Slam trophies over his career and held the number one title for 310 consecutive weeks (only second to Novak Djokovic). But Federer has been greatly admired off the court for his decency, generosity, and role as tourism ambassador for Switzerland. “I’ve always felt like I’ve represented Switzerland, not just through the Olympic Games or team competitions,” he said of his newest role. He is also an investor in Swiss athletic apparel company On and is the world’s highest-paid tennis player for 17 consecutive years. Read more.

German feathers ruffled over proposed nuclear waste site

The German government announced this week that it will pursue discussions with Switzerland over a proposed underground nuclear waste site at Nördlich Lägern – about 20 kilometers north of Zürich and two kilometers south of the German border. The German Environmental Ministry said the site would “heavily burden communities on the German side.” Swiss authorities have signaled they are open to compensating those who are affected. The issue is sensitive between the two countries, as Germany is set to take most or all of its nuclear reactors offline in the coming months. Meanwhile, Switzerland is bringing older nuclear reactors back online. Read more.

How will Switzerland fare in Europe’s ‘War on Energy’?

The future of Switzerland’ hydropower

Writing in SWI Swissinfo.ch this week, Simon Bradley explores Switzerland’s dependance on hydropower and how that bet will eventually serve the country even while a severe drought plagues Europe. In 2021, Switzerland generated more than 60 percent of its electricity from hydropower, 29 percent from nuclear, 7 percent from other renewable sources, and less than 2 percent from fossil fuels. Currently, Switzerland’s hydropower reserves are currently below-average, but the country has fared much better than its neighbors thanks to glacier meltwater. Half of its hydropower comes from dams and the other half from smaller generators along rivers, such as the Rhine. To offset future dips in hydropower, the government has launched a hydropower reserve instead of selling hundred of gigawatt hours on the open market. According to the Federal Office for the Environment, annual hydropower production by 2050 will surge by at least 10 percent during winter and about five percent in the summer due to expected changes in precipitation. Read more.

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Swiss tennis icon Roger Federer retires

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