[EN IMAGES] Federer’s Last Match, Idol Twilight

Loved by some and respected by all, Roger Federer ended an extraordinary 25-year career in tennis on Friday in the doubles match at the Laver Cup in London with his biggest rival Rafael Nadal.

With 103 titles on the ATP Tour, including 20 majors, and 310 weeks at the top of the standings, including 237 in a row during his longest reign, Federer’s “king” footprint in tennis isn’t close to fading.

Huge excitement ran through the O2 Arena and about 17,000 spectators when he last entered the court as a professional tennis player, under the watchful eye of his family, inevitably moving through the stands.

In trouble with his right knee for too long, faced with not enough progress revealed by the scan a few weeks ago, he ended up announcing his irreversible departure eight days ago.

He opted to withdraw from the Laver Cup, in a group match between Europe and the rest of the world, which he helped create, in London, the city that saw some of his greatest feats at Wimbledon. .

After nearly a year and a half of not playing, one player could have been very demanding for his physique, but a double that stayed in the loop thanks to his quality of serve, touch of the ball and his eye.

It also allowed him to surround himself with a team, and what a team! Next to him was Nadal, his one-night partner, but also Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, two players of his generation who saw him progress until they challenged his supremacy and even surpassed him, as well as the next, embodied by Casper Ruud, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Matteo Berrettini, who would replace him for the rest of the Laver Cup.

Having Bjorn Borg on the bench as captain, John McEnroe on the bench for the rest of the world and Rod Laver, the first player to win four Grand Slam tournaments twice in a calendar year and honored by the competition, is out of place at this tennis party.

The Laver Cup format, which allows the whole team to get close to the players while changing sides to give advice or encouragement, gave a very friendly atmosphere at this moment among competitors and friends.

The match itself looked like a fair at times, but not playing hard and not playing tennis to your best would have been a crime of royal chastity.

Jack Sock had warned before the match: “We’re going to take advantage of the moment, but we won’t hold back on our hits, sorry Roger.”

At 7-7 in the third set tiebreak, Tavoi did not hesitate to “heart” Roger Federer into the net and Nadal again at 9-9.

Prior to that, he offered his team the first set ball in one of his surplus shots that Sock could not return (6-4), to the delight of the crowd.

However, some unusual errors came as a reminder that the master was no longer fully effective, and the second set losing in the tiebreak (7-2) allowed the deadline to be pushed back a little longer.

The third set was an intense crossover, sending Federer to win the match 9-8, but in the end it was the Americans who spoiled the party a bit.

Tears soon overcame Federer, who was warmly welcomed by the entire audience.

Due to his amazing career and the importance he would have in the development of the sport at 21^e Century, this defeat would be an adventure, and he himself said that he was ready for his new life, which began on the night of London.

“We always want to play forever. I love being on the field, I love playing against players, I love traveling. It has never been difficult for me whether I win or I learn from my losses. Everything was perfect. I loved my career,” he said.

But “everyone has to leave the competition someday. It was a really great adventure. And for that, yes, I am so grateful.”