Swiss Master Roger Federer brought an end to his illustrious career on Friday alongside friend and foe Rafael Nadal at the Laver Cup. In an evening that was emotional from the start, Federer bid adieu to his beloved sport in front of a sold-out O2 Arena in London and his fans got a final glimpse of him through their screens, playing professional tennis for the very last time.
After the match, both Federer and Nadal broke into tears in front of a packed house at the O2 Arena. Nadal who has been a compelling opponent to Federer penned an emotional note on the departure of his on-court rival. “For me, (it) has been a huge honour to be a part of this amazing moment of the history of our sport, and at the same time a lot of years sharing a lot of things together, he said.”
From racquet-smashing enfant terrible with a bad attitude and ill-advised ponytail to universally respected role model and modern icon, Roger Federer has attained almost saintly status.
In the 19-year-long journey after winning his first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon in 2013, Federer has been one of the acclaimed players of the sport across the globe. He leaves the sport with 20 Grand Slams, including eight Wimbledons, 103 titles and more than $130 million in prize money alone, all driven by a rare grace, laser precision and a signature one-handed backhand.
Roger Federer a week ago had aannouned the Laver Cup to be his last outing on the tennis circuit. At the age of 41, Federer trying to recover from a third knee surgery in 18 months compelled the great Swiss player to bid adieu to the tennis court.