London (dpa)
Swiss tennis star Roger Federer hinted that he might make a farewell tour, following playing the last official match of his professional career, on Friday evening.
Federer, who has won 20 titles in the four Grand Slam tournaments, played with Spanish star Rafael Nadal in the doubles competitions in the Laver Cup, but failed to win, and bid farewell to the fans on the field following the match.
The duo, Jack Sock and Francis Tiafoe, of Team World, imposed their dominance and beat Federer and Nadal, of Team Europe, 4-6, 7-6, 11-9, but the match remained a celebration for Federer, 41, and tears fell from the eyes of both Federer and Nadal following the match, which lasted two hours and 14 minutes and was attended by 17,500 fans, as the stands were full.
The loss of Federer and Nadal did not affect the feelings of love that the fans showed to the Swiss star at the end of his professional career.
Federer had announced last week that participating in the doubles competitions in the Laver Cup would be the last of his career, but he kept the door open regarding the possibility of reappearing on tennis courts around the world but outside professional competitions.
“I have absolutely no plans for where, how and when, all I know is that I would like to go and play in places I’ve never played before, and I say thank you for years to come to all those who have been so supportive of me,” Federer said in a post-match press conference.
He added: “The difficult thing regarding the Laver Cup is that the tickets are all sold out already, and you know that a lot of people probably wanted to come here and they mightn’t.”
He added that there might be another way we can all celebrate together.
