The world of tennis has witnessed yet another retirement as Swiss Roger Federer retires from the game of tennis at the age of 41, joining Serena Williams on the retirement bench.
Federer bid his farewell on Friday night with one last match played before he announced his retirement after a glorious career that saw him win 20 Grand Slam titles and a statesman for tennis.
He played his last contest as a double match with his rival Rafael Nadal for Team Europe in the Laver Cup against Frances Tiafoe and Jack Sock of Team World.
“For me, just personally, (it was) sad in the first moment, when I came to the conclusion it’s the best decision,” Federer said in an interview with The Associated Press this week about his emotions when realizing it was time to go. “I kind of held it in at first, then fought it off. But I could feel the pain.”
When the players from both squads were introduced before the afternoon and evening sessions on Day 1 of the three-day team event at the O2 Arena, Federer was the last to emerge from a tunnel leading out to the black court, wearing his team’s blue zip-up jacket and black pants.
Fans who were loud enough for Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and others really let Federer hear their support and gratitude, rising for lengthy standing ovations just before his entrances while lifting their phone cameras to capture the moment.
