We believed him to be eternal as his elegance on the pitch seemed taken from another era. But even the legend of Roger Federer has an end, and it ended on Friday, alongside his biggest rival.
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The date was circled. After 24 years of a career crowned with records that will never be equaled, the “Master” had chosen to play one final match, at the Laver Cup, the tournament he helped create five years ago.
The 17,000 fans present at the O2 arena in London would have liked to see him for one last time in singles, deploying on the court his footwork so often compared to that of a dancer.
But at 41, following more than 1,500 professional meetings and a year of inactivity, his bruised right knee said no. He might only play one match, in doubles, a less grueling discipline.
With his “best enemy”
It was therefore alongside Rafael Nadal, his “best enemy” of the last two decades, that the Swiss trod the field for this final fight to the cheers of a public devoted to his cause.
The two veterans of Team Europe fought well. At times, Federer seemed to have chased the weight of the years, delivering superb volleys, like the one that allowed the unlikely duo to get back together at 7-7 in the super tiebreaker, which served as the final round.
The superstar even gave himself the privilege of ending his prestigious career on his own terms, when he served for the 9-9 victory to the sound of ” let’s go, Roger ! that echoed through the stadium.
It was the Americans Frances Tiafoe and Jack Sock who had both the privilege of playing this historic meeting and the odious of having to win it for the World team.
Sock had warned fans on Thursday.
“We will take advantage of the moment, but we will not hold back our blows. Sorry Roger! »
The pair therefore saved the match point, then raced to a 4-6, 7-6 (2), 11-9 victory, signaling the end of a huge career.
Crying with his teammates
Federer did not crack immediately. With a small smile on his lips, he congratulated his greatest rival, who had become a partner for a day, before going to shake hands with the two Americans.
But once back on the bench, “Fed” started crying when he was hugged by his teammates.
Novak Djokovic, Casper Ruud, Matteo Berrettini, Andy Murray, Stefanos Tsitsipas… Players of different generations who he has all seen climb the ladder of world tennis over the past 20 years.
A sign of the immense impact he had on his sport, Federer wasn’t the only one wiping away his tears. Nadal tried as best he might to repress his own, while Tsitsipas’ face was all red.
Near his “garden”
The Spaniard, once morest whom the Swiss crossed swords 40 times during his career – he beat him 16 times – finally collapsed in turn, when Ellie Goulding was singing Still Falling for You.
“I’ve always been a team player, basically,” Federer said in a post-match interview. But the simple does not lend itself very well. »
Of course, this final meeting would have had a different aura if it had been played at Wimbledon, in the “garden” of the “Master”.
Where he had promised, when he was honored there last July, to return “one last time”.
But even the greatest say it: there is no right way to say goodbye. After three knee surgeries in a year and a half, Federer announced last week that he needed to listen to his body.
It is therefore some 25 kilometers from the All England Club, where he has triumphed eight times, that Federer will have given his last professional strokes.
deep friendship
The match sometimes looked like an exhibition, with Federer and Nadal bursting into laughter over missed shots, leaving aside the rivalry that animated them on the field to show in broad daylight the deep friendship that lives between them outside the courts.
” It’s incredible [de voir tous ces joueurs à mes côtés]. I didn’t want to feel alone on the pitch,” “Fed” explained.
“You are all incredible,” he added, saluting the players of the World team, including Quebecer Félix Auger-Aliassime.
A perfect career
First player in the world for 310 weeks, holder of 73 singles titles, 20 times Grand Slam champion, Federer himself perfectly described his achievements of the last 24 years.
“It was a perfect career. »
“If I had to do it all over once more, I would do the same thing. Thank you for everything. »
– With AFP
Happy despite the tears
Photo AFP
The great Roger Federer was very emotional in a post-match interview on the court at the O2 Arena in London.
Few defeats make a professional athlete happy, especially when he is of Roger Federer’s caliber.
Despite the tears streaming down his cheeks throughout the post-match interview, despite the breaks he had to take to regain his senses, Federer assured that he was “happy” on Friday in the minutes following the final meeting of his career.
“It was a wonderful day. I’m not sad. It’s amazing to be here and I loved tying my shoes for one last time. Everything was a last, ”recalled the legendary Swiss.
He wanted a celebration
At 41, Federer wanted his last professional game to feel like a “celebration” and that’s why he chose to play his last match in the Laver Cup, a team competition.
“And that’s exactly what I got,” he said.
On social networks, he documented part of this very special day, including the car trip to the O2 arena that he made alongside Rafael Nadal.
“We’re on our way to the stadium and I’m a little nervous,” Federer said with a laugh, in a video posted on Instagram. […] I will prepare for 15-20 minutes, try not to overdo it, and let “Rafa” continue. »
The mythical duo was also seen carefully following the match preceding theirs, the one in which Briton Andy Murray, another of their great rivals of the last 20 years, took part.
The support of his wife
Already very emotional, Federer became even more so when he spoke of his wife, Miroslava Vavrinec, the mother of his four children, who were present for this great moment.
“She was so supportive,” he admitted, before pausing to wipe the tears from his face.
“She might have told me to stop a long, long time ago, but she pushed me to continue,” he continued. It’s incredible. Thanks ! »
►Thanks to the victory of the Americans Frances Tiafoe and Jack Sock at the expense of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, it is a 2-2 tie between the World and European teams following the first day of competition at the Laver Cup. Quebecer Félix Auger-Aliassime will make his debut on Saturday.
