Roger Federer is Leaving Tennis in the Best Possible Way
The tennis world will say its final farewells on Friday afternoon to Roger Federer, one of the most talented tennis players to ever step foot on the court. After announcing his "bittersweet" retirement last week at the age of 41, he'll play his last match at this weekend'sLaver Cup. The exhibition-style tournament, which usually takes place two weeks after the conclusion of the US Open, was created back in 2017 by Federer himself. It's a fitting competition to end his illustrious career—especially since he'll play doubles alongside his longtime rival, Rafael Nadal.
The two tennis stars have only played on the same side of the court together once, during the inaugural Laver Cup five years ago. At the time, Federer said he would "always and forever be rivals" with Nadal. The two tennis GOATs will face off against Americans Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe. Just a month ago, Tiafoe upset Nadal at the US Open in a nail-biting four-set match in the fourth round, making it all the way to the semifinals.
At Thursday's press conference, Nadal said the upcoming match would be "a special thing." He spoke highly of Federer, calling him, "one of the most important players, if not the most important player in my tennis career." Acknowledging that saying goodbye to his frenemy would be difficult, Nadal expressed that he was still "super excited and grateful to play with him."
The two titans of modern tennis faced off against each other 40 times in their lengthy careers, with Nadal winning the overall fight, 24–16. Earlier this year, Nadal even overtook Federer's prized record, becoming the tennis player with the most grand slam singles titles (22!) in the history of the sport. Novak Djokovic, the other member of tennis's big three, will also play at the 2022 Laver Cup, though not against Federer. "Most of us have watched and admired Rogers' success and achievements," Djokovic told the press. "We will do our best to contribute to the team and have a good performance, but at the same time, marvel and celebrate his career because he deserves it in a great way."
Over the course of his career, Federer won 20 grand slam singles titles and spent roughly four and a half years as the reigning No. 1-ranked player in the world. His final match with Nadal against Sock and Tiafoe will air live on The Tennis Channel (and streaming through fuboTV) on Friday, September 23, around 3:30 pm ET. Appearing next to Nadal, Djokovic, and Andy Murray at the press conference, Federer said, "Sitting here, it feels good that I go first from the guys. It just feels right."
You Might Also Like
