The Spaniard and Federer play the last game of the Swiss professional career together
It was an open secret, but when the official confirmation arrived, around noon in London, it was a general joy for all tennis and sports enthusiasts. Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal play one last game together. They do it from the same side of the net, not as opponents, in a doubles that will be the capstone of the 24-year sports career of the Swiss, who will say goodbye in this Laver Cup.
It will be the last professional game for Federer, who could not have had a better doubles partner. Nadal, the man with whom tennis hegemony has been contested for nearly two decades and with whom he shared 40 official matches, including 24 wins for Nadal and 16 for Federer.
It will be the second time they have paired up, following the iconic image of the two together in the inaugural Laver Cup in Prague 2017. This Friday, around 10pm Spanish time (9pm local time) ) , they will face the Americans Frances Tiafoe and Jack Sock.
“Being part of this historic moment will be unforgettable,” Nadal said at the European team’s press conference this Thursday at the O2, the venue where the Laver Cup will be held. It is a moment of great emotion. I hope I can play well, that we create a good atmosphere and win the match,” said the Spaniard, who landed in London this morning and barely had time to put on Bjorn Borg’s team jacket.
“Being by Roger’s side again is something I look forward to and it makes me very happy. Personal relationships are more important than professional ones. It’s going to be hard to handle everything, especially for Roger, but also for me. One of the most important players in my career and in history is leaving. I’m grateful to be able to play with him and I can’t thank the rest of the team more for waiting for me.
“It’s super special to play with Rafa. It’s a different feeling to be able to go out on the field and have the opportunity to play with Rafa or Novak. So to be able to do it again, it’s going to be great.”
Nadal arrived in the London capital together with his coach, Carlos Moyá, his physio, Rafa Maymó, his sister Maribel and his agent, Carlos Costa, and after the press conference he trained on the spectacular black track of the O2, together with Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Federer himself. The Spaniard, who has not competed since the round of 16 of the US Open, was asked if he had thought about his retirement when he heard Federer’s.
“I don’t need to hear this to know that the end is near. It’s the normal life cycle. Some leave and others must come. It’s nothing new. History repeats itself. This is a special case because it’s one of the most important It was very sad news and it was a tough day,” explained the man from Manacor.
The duel between Federer and Nadal, against Tiafoe and Sock, closes the opening day of the Laver, after the individual matches between Casper Ruud and Jack Sock, Stefanos Tsitsipas against Diego Schwartzman and Andy Murray and Alex de Miñaur.
Source: La Verdad
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