For millions, Roger Federer makes tennis an art. He plays with joy, skill and beauty.

This week, "King Roger"¹ is retiring after 24 years. In a goodbye message to his fans, he says: "I love you and I will never leave you."

World No. 1 Rafael Nadal says it is a "sad day" for sport. In 2003, Federer won his first grand slam. His supporters say he mixes amazing talent with a positive attitude to make sporting perfection.

Early in his career, he ranked No 1 for 237 weeks in a row, a world record. He won an incredible 103 titles. In 2017, he beat Nadal in a surprising comeback, making him the oldest top-ranking player in history.

"A champion's champion," says former world No 1 Billie Jean KingAn American former World Number One tennis player who won 39 major titles in the 1960s and 1970s. . Two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova told Federer: "You have been such a huge inspiration. Your elegance, your grace, your beautiful game."

He made tennis beautiful, say his fans. Too often, sport is like war: attacks, defeats. Chest-thumping and crushing rivals. Federer is different. He does not fight. Instead, he dances and delights.

Watching Federer is a "religious experience", wrote writer David Foster Wallace. His tennis "feels perfected and free," argues dance critic Sarah L Kaufman. It is awesome.

The American football coach Vince Lombardi once said: "Winning isn't everything; it's the only thing." Some argue sport can be ugly - as long as you win. Research shows watching or playing sport puts our bodies on a "hormonal rollercoaster". Winning gives us enormous pleasure.

Federer "made tennis look effortless, but it was not", says sports writer Tumaini Carayol. Behind the beauty lies self-discipline, hard work and determination. These are the skills that make great things possible.

The president of the International Tennis Federation says Federer is "certainly the greatest player of all time". The tennis world often debates who is the GOATThe unofficial title, Greatest of All Time, was first used to describe the boxer, Muhammad Ali. It was made famous by LL Cool J and his 2000 album of the same name.. But there is no official way of choosing the greatest.

Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams have each won more grand slams respectively. But Federer is great because he is a "gentleman," writes Tumaini Carayol. He treats everyone with patience, kindness and respect.

His motto is: "It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice." This is not just about sport but what matters most in life: effort, achievement or beauty.

Yes: Sport is an escape from our normal lives. It shows us what humans can do. Like great music and poetry, the best sport is beautiful.

No: We worry too much about how things look. Sport is not skin deep. It needs years of training and a cool head. It is the ultimate test of human character.

Or... Everyone sees beauty differently. Winning is beautiful if you want to win, and determination is graceful if you admire hard work. So sport reflects what we find attractive in life.