Team Europe captain Bjorn Borg has granted his wish to play alongside his oldest and greatest rival after the 20-time Grand Slam champion said playing Nadal would be “the most beautiful thing”. Federer, a 20-time major winner, and Nadal, a 22-time major winner, will face Team World’s Frances Tiafoe and Jack Sock at the O2 in London on Friday night at around 9pm. Earlier, Andy Murray, who is making his Ryder Cup debut, will face Australia’s Alex De Minaur. Federer announced last week that he will retire from professional tennis after the Laver Cup. He says he has “fallen in love with too many things” to walk away from tennis, with the 41-year-old vowing to stay involved in some capacity and not become a “ghost”. Federer, whose most recent competitive match was a loss to Hubert Hurkacz in last year’s Wimbledon quarterfinals, is battling a knee problem. “It was time to retire. I think such a moment does not come overnight. It was a process – emotional – that in the end I thought we did well, with the family, the team, my closest friends, “he said Federer. “Everything worked out and here we are now in the Laver Cup. But the last few weeks have definitely been more unusual for me.” Speaking at a packed press conference at the O2, the 41-year-old explained that he had plans to continue playing tennis in the future, saying: “I just wanted to let the fans know that I’m not going to be a ghost. “I talked about (European leader) Bjorn Borg. I don’t think he’s back at Wimbledon for 25 years. I don’t think I’ll be that guy and I feel like tennis has given me too much. I’ve been playing the game for too long. You’ve fallen in love too much many things. “I love seeing people again, and that’s exactly what I wanted to let the fans know that they’re going to see me again. Not just ever again. Now what it could be, in what capacity, I don’t know. So, I still have to think about it a little bit, but give myself time.” Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player Andy Murray describes Federer as an amazing player and his impending retirement a sad day for tennis
What will Federer miss most?
Image: Federer explained his ritual before every match he played
“I don’t want to say love-hate, but the things you’ll miss, you’re glad you don’t have to do them again,” admitted the Swiss. “I like tying my shoes, getting ready, putting on the band, looking in the mirror, are we ready for this? Yeah, okay, let’s go. “As much as I love it, I’m glad I don’t have to go through it again. With these knots in my stomach, I wait all day, I eat breakfast, I think about tonight, I have another big match. , I have another 15 hours to wait.” .
“Serena and I were the bridge from the old generation to the new generation”
Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player Federer reflects on his and Serena Williams’ exits Speaking to Sky Sports, Federer reflected on his and Serena Williams’ retirements, saying it was a privilege for both of them to play from generation to generation. Asked what they had brought to the sport, Federer said: “Different things, for sure. But in the end, we both did it as mums and dads. “When we were young, touring, we never thought it would end (like this). I think we were definitely the bridge from the old generation to the new generation, which I think was a privilege for me to play in generations like that, and the same for her. “I think he brought the power game like no other and to change the game is something that I think is the biggest compliment. I don’t know if I did that, but I did it my way and I hope people enjoyed watching I’ve been playing for so long. “I would always love to come back to tennis in some shape or form, but I don’t know in what capacity.” I still think the tennis is going to be really exciting, and we probably don’t know which way it’s going to go exactly, but we’re going to see some ridiculous defenses, some incredible power, and great personalities. I will be their number one fan. Everything is gonna be alright. Federer on the future of tennis
Federer is not so positive about serve and volley
Image: US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz, 19, became the youngest world No. 1 (since 1973) and is the future of the game
The eight-time Wimbledon champion has hailed the next generation of players, including new world No 1s Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Andrei Rublev, but says sportsmanship and all-court coverage is slowly taking over. from the traditional serve and volley. “The best players are the best players,” he said. “It’s been that way for the last 10, 20 years now, and it’s going to stay that way if you see what they can do. I think it’s going to stay that way. “I’m not so positive about serving and volleying. I think it’s easier to stay on the baseline after serving. “There’s definitely ways to do an all-court game, a transition game, which I liked to play. I liked my half volleys, I liked my transition game. I knew if I hit it at the service line, that’s an opportunity approach for my opponent. They’re coming. So I’d better play a meter to the baseline and then hold them back. Anything short, they come in. “Today that’s not the case. I still think tennis is going to be really exciting and we probably don’t know which way it’s going to go exactly, but we’re going to see some ridiculous defenses, some incredible power and great personalities. I’m going to be their number one fan. Everything It will be ok.”
Federer’s career in numbers
20 – Grand Slam titles 31 – Grand Slam Finals 23 – consecutive Grand Slam semifinal appearances from 2004 to 2010, all-time record 36 – consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinal appearances 65 – consecutive Grand Slam appearances from Australian Open in 2000 to French Open in 2016 8 – Wimbledon titles, most of all 6 – Australian Open titles 5 – US Open titles 1 – French Open title 1,251 – career games won out of 1,526 369 – Grand Slam match wins 22 – consecutive appearances at Wimbledon 310 – weeks at world No. 1, 237 of them consecutively 36 – aged 36 years and 320 days, Federer was the oldest world No. 1 in ATP history 5 – Federer has reached the final of every Grand Slam at least five times 103 – career titles, second in the Open era behind Jimmy Connors 6 – titles won in ATP finals, all-time record 10 – titles won at the ATP events in Basel and Halle 12 – titles won in 2006, his most successful season 92 – games won out of 97 played in 2006 65 – consecutive games won on grass from 2003 to 2008 3 – Federer reached the finals of all Grand Slams in three different seasons 2 – Olympic medals. doubles gold with Stan Wawrinka in 2008 and singles silver in 2012 24 – losses to his great rival Rafael Nadal from 40 matches 130,594,339 – career prize money (USD) 550 million – estimated net worth (USD)
London is a special place in Federer’s heart
This city and its fans have given me so much, so I thought it was only right to end here. Federer ends his career in London
“The Laver Cup will be my last kind of active tournament to play. It’s nice. I think it’s a great place. Having Bjorn Borg as my captain, you can imagine it means the world to me. And I think it’s going to be very special to do it here in London,” Federer said. “I think it’s going to be great just because the city has given me two World Tour finals wins here to cap off an incredible year that I probably already had in those years. And then at Wimbledon winning eight times plus the juniors. “This city and its fans have given me a lot, so I thought it was only right that I finish here. I’m not going to stop playing tennis, I’m just not going to play for points anymore. I’m going to keep playing with my kids, with my friends, hopefully playing shows in the future and just continuing to push the game and play places I’ve never played before. So I’m really looking forward to that in the future as well.”
Borg and McEnroe praise Roger
Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe praise Federer “Everyone loves him and he also supports it because he’s a tremendous person above all else. If there’s one thing I envy him, it’s his absolute love for the sport,” said the seven-time Grand Slam champion. McEnroe. “He loves everything about it. “He made the hard things look easy. That’s the best quality. If you can have that in tennis, then you’re good…
