JAKARTA - Roger Federer has finally officially retired. He hung up his racket after losing in the 2022 Laver Cup.
Federer ended his career with a double loss while playing alongside rival Rafael Nadal, Saturday, September 24, 2022, early morning WIB.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion, who suffered a knee injury, has not competed competitively since the quarter-finals of Wimbledon 2021. For this reason, he announced retirement at the age of 41 last week.
He described his tennis career as a "perfect journey".
Federer pointed out a glimpse of himself who used to be in the match against Frances Tiafoe and Jack Sock of the World Team to entertain the crowd and their passionate fans in the London arena 02.
Federer and Nadal won the first set, but the American pair came back to win 4-6 7-6(7/2) 11-9. That way, the European Team was stuck 2-2 from the World Team.
"We're going through this somehow, right? Right?" Federer said, as broadcast by AFP.
"I'm happy, I'm not sad. It's nice to be here and I enjoyed tying my shoes once again. Everything was the last time. The game was great, I couldn't be happier. It's amazing," he continued.
Federer has enjoyed stiff competition with Nadal for nearly two decades. Together, they have won 42 Grand Slam singles titles in the golden age for the men's sector.
The two, who first met in 2004, had a record 40 meets in matches, including in the nine Grand Slam finals, with Nadal holding a 24-16 winning record.
But in the match that started on Friday night, Nadal was on the same side for Federer's farewell match.
There was cheers and applause as Swiss and Nadal arrived on the pitch, wearing a blue t-shirt and white shorts, both wearing white headbands.
Both teams held service quite comfortably at the start of the match, with the shout "Come on Roger" breaking at 3-3.
However, Federer and Nadal took their first break point in the 10th game, winning the first set when Sock scored with a backhand shot which was met with huge cheers.
The American pair equalized by taking the second tie-break set easily.
In that tense tie-break match, Federer was unable to serve when he was 9-8, while the American pair won their next three points to come out victorious.
Federer was filled with emotion after that, hugged his team-mate Nadal and waved at the crowd.
He couldn't contain his emotions when speaking in the arena during interviews on the pitch, then crying.
"Playing with Rafa in the same team, and having the players, everyone here, all the legends... thank you," said Federer, who was accompanied by his parents, wife and four children on the pitch.
"It feels like a celebration to me."
"I want to feel like this in the end and that's what I expected, so thank you. It's the perfect journey and I'm willing to do it again."
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