![]() ![]() Surely, there are those who would have found it particularly apt to see Federer finish across the net from Nadal, often an on-court nemesis but eventually an off-court friend. Open and one at the French Open, setting a new standard that Nadal, now with 22, and Novak Djokovic, with 21, equaled, then surpassed, as part of a golden era for the sport. Federer blew past that, accumulating eight at Wimbledon, six at the Australian Open, five at the U.S. In the first set, the older duo couldn't quite hear each other between points, so Federer trotted from the net back to the baseline to consult with Nadal, then pointed to his ear to signal what the issue was.īefore Federer began winning Grand Slam titles in 2003, the men's mark for most major tennis championships was 14 by Pete Sampras. Open, crossed over to extend a hand with congratulations for the effort. After Nadal somehow flicked one back-to-the-net shot around the post, only for it to land barely wide, Tiafoe, a semifinalist at the U.S. ![]() That was clear when Sock, a three-time major champion in doubles who is 29, leaped and screamed after one particularly terrific volley or when Tiafoe, 24, sent a couple of shots right at Federer and Nadal.īut the circumstances did allow for moments of levity.įederer and Nadal were able to laugh after a bit of confusion over which should go for a ball on a point they lost. There also was a forehand that slid right between Sock and Tiafoe and seemed too good to be true - and, it turned out, was: The ball traveled through a gap below the net tape and so the point was taken away from Federer and Nadal.Īlthough this match amounted to, essentially, a glorified exhibition, all four doubles participants played as if they wanted to win. There were a couple of early forehands that sailed several feet too long. He showed touches of his old flair, to be sure, and of rust, as to be expected. I think we are going to be forever grateful to be a part of the GOAT's final match," Sock said, using the acronym for "Greatest of All-Time."ĭoubles requires far less movement and court coverage, of course, so the stress on Federer's knee was limited Friday. But it was super fun to just be a part of that match. "Obviously had 99.9% of the crowd against us. Similar reactions arrived merely at the chair umpire's announcement before the third game of "Roger Federer to serve," and again when he closed that game with a 117 mph service winner. ![]() They came ready to roar for him, some with Swiss flags, some with homemade signs ("Idol Forever" read one), and they made themselves heard with a wall of sound when Federer delivered a forehand volley winner on the match's second point. They remained on their feet for nearly 10 minutes, through the pre-match warmup, holding aloft phone cameras to capture the moment. He had said he wanted this to feel more like a party than a funeral, and the crowd obliged, rising for a loud and lengthy standing ovation when Federer and Nadal, who is 36 - each wearing a white bandanna, blue shirt and white shorts - emerged together from a tunnel leading out to the black court for the last match on Day 1 at the O2 Arena. "I kind of held it in at first, then fought it off. "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. Then he mouthed, "Thank you," while applauding right back toward the spectators who had chanted, "Let's go, Roger! Let's go!" during the concluding moments of a match that lasted more than two hours and ended at about 12:30 a.m. As cascades of clapping and yells of affection came from the stands, Federer put his hands on his hips, his chest heaving. There were plenty of tears to go around Nadal wiped his own away, too. When the match and, with it, his time in professional tennis, ended, Federer hugged Nadal, then Tiafoe and Sock. "It's been a perfect journey," Federer said. And, naturally, each of those entities' farewells to Federer. Or, better, the farewells, plural: Federer's to tennis, to the fans, to his competitors and colleagues. The occasion was, after all, about the farewell itself. The truth is that the victors, the statistics and the score (OK, for the record it was 4-6, 7-6 (2), 11-9) did not matter, and were all so entirely beside the point. ![]()
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