365NEWSX
365NEWSX
Subscribe

Welcome

Roger Federer pairs with Rafael Nadal in last match, falls in doubles at Laver Cup - ESPN

Roger Federer pairs with Rafael Nadal in last match, falls in doubles at Laver Cup - ESPN

Roger Federer pairs with Rafael Nadal in last match, falls in doubles at Laver Cup - ESPN
Sep 24, 2022 2 mins, 30 secs

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal fall to Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe in a competitive tiebreak, and Federer gets emotional after the match.

LONDON -- This day, this match, had to come, of course, for Roger Federer, and for tennis, just as it inevitably must for every athlete in every sport.

Federer bid adieu Friday night with one last contest before he heads into retirement at age 41 after a superlative career that spanned nearly a quarter-century and included 20 Grand Slam titles and a statesman's role.

He wrapped up his days as a professional player with a loss in doubles alongside his longtime rival Rafael Nadal for Team Europe in the Laver Cup against Frances Tiafoe and Jack Sock of Team World.

When the match and, with it, his time in professional tennis ended, Federer hugged Nadal, then Tiafoe and Sock.

"When Roger leaves the tour, an important part of my life is leaving, too," said Nadal, 36, who used the words "sad" and "unforgettable" to describe the occasion!

He had said he wanted this to feel more like a party than a funeral, and the crowd obliged, rising for a loud and lengthy standing ovation when Federer and Nadal -- each wearing a white bandanna, blue shirt and white shorts -- emerged together from a tunnel leading out to the black court for the last match on Day 1 at the O2 Arena.

I think we are going to be forever grateful to be a part of the GOAT's final match," Sock said, using the acronym for greatest of all time.

"Honestly," he said, acknowledging that leading into the match there were the sorts of nerves he'd get before a Grand Slam final, "I was so surprised how well I was able to play tonight.".

There also was a forehand that slid right between Sock and Tiafoe and seemed too good to be true -- and, it turned out, was: The ball traveled through a gap below the net tape and so the point was taken away from Federer and Nadal.

That was clear when Sock, a three-time major champion in doubles who is 29, leaped and screamed after one particularly terrific volley or when Tiafoe, 24, sent a couple of shots right at Federer and Nadal.

Before Federer began winning Grand Slam titles in 2003, the men's mark for most major tennis championships was 14 by Pete Sampras.

Over the years, Federer and Nadal showed off individual greatness and compelling contrasts across their 40 matches, 14 at Grand Slam tournaments, nine in major finals: righty vs.

"All the players will miss him," said Casper Ruud, who beat Sock in singles 6-4, 5-7, 10-7.

The last hurrah came after a total of 103 career singles trophies and 1,251 wins in singles matches for Federer, both second only to Jimmy Connors in the Open era, which began in 1968.

At the height of his powers, Federer appeared in a record 10 consecutive Grand Slam finals, winning eight, from 2005 to 2007.

I'm healthy, I'm happy, everything's great," Federer said, "and this is just a moment in time."

Summarized by 365NEWSX ROBOTS

RECENT NEWS

SUBSCRIBE

Get monthly updates and free resources.

CONNECT WITH US

© Copyright 2024 365NEWSX - All RIGHTS RESERVED