Roger Federer recently reflected on his retirement from tennis, which came at the Laver Cup in September. Having not played since Wimbledon in 2021 and with his knee injury failing to heal, Federer knew the end was near. Playing singles–even in the Laver Cup–was out of the question, so a doubles match with longtime rival Rafael Nadal became the ideal scenario for the 41-year-old.
Federer cooked up the idea and both all-time greats made it happen.
Said the Swiss: “I had to call him up and tell him and say, ‘Hey, Rafa, just before you make any other plans I would love you to be at the Laver Cup and play maybe one last doubles with me. It would be amazing, because unfortunately my knee is not so good anymore. I think it’s the end, you know?’ And he’s like, ‘Oh yeah, oh my God, okay. Yeah, I’ll be there whatever it takes.
“He has now become a father; (I’m) happy for him. And we were not sure if he was going to make it because of the baby. It was one of the first times I had to tell [someone that I was retiring] and come to terms that my career was ending.”
It ended with a loss to Team World’s Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe in a super-tiebreaker (4-6, 7-6(2), 11-9) inside London’s O2 Arena. Despite that result and Team Europe’s eventual 13-8 setback in the overall competition, it was still a dream farewell for Federer.
“When [Rafa] showed up, and Novak (Djokovic) was there, and (Andy) Murray was there, and Bjorn Borg was there, it was an amazing moment,” the 20-time Grand Slam champion commented. “I knew it was going to be an emotional moment. I have cried a lot in victory and defeat when I was younger; I don’t why, (but) I do it. I am happy because I remember that moment because of it. When I took the mic after it was all over, I knew it was going to be bad, but I did pretty well.
“I was so happy that I was able to be there in tennis clothes. And it was amazing to do it in London, too, where I have had so much success.”
Federer won Wimbledon eight times and finished runner-up on four occasions, including epic losses to Nadal in 2009 and Djokovic in 2019. Two of his six year-end championship titles came at the O2 Arena in London.
Fedal
Two of the all time greatest….good friends and class acts!
What Scoot said. Class acts, both of them, and two of the best players ever. Amazing friendship. Rpger dates the beginning of the friendship to after he first hurt his knee and understood something of what Rafa had gone through. But there was always something there. Any time there was one of the “events” you’d see Roger and Rafa in the midst of things, standing together, “catching up”, one commentator said. They weren’t “buddies”, they didn’t go to dinner together or play games. They just had this connection.
Does anyone have any theories as to why his knee became injured and/or started to deteriorate? Sure, age was a factor but there must’ve been an underlying reason as to why it started to break down. Was just reading that he had issues with both knees but it was his right knee that he didn’t recover from.
A combination of age, genetics and playing elite tennis is my guess. I don’t remember which knee went out first, in 2016, but I remember he said it was when he was running a bath for his daughters and was a perfectly normal movement that did it. That’s kinda the way it happens.
The length of his career, he was remarkably injury free .
Did you see the funny story about Roger , who decided to visit Wimbledon one day in the off season . The security appeared not to know who he was and wouldnt let him in without a membership pass. Even after he explained he won it eight times. Eventually someone recognised him.