What was the result in Roger Feder’s last match playing alongside Rafael Nadal?
From tears, to magic moments, to a standing ovation, it was a night to celebrate one of the greatest tennis players ever.
Though the result was immaterial, the star pairing was unable to fend off defeat, in what was ultimately the final match for one of them.
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal lose in the Swiss ace’s final match
The curtain has finally come down on Roger Federer’s career. With 20 Grand Slam titles to his name, the legendary tennis player bid farewell to the game after losing his Laver Cup doubles match alongside his longtime rival, Rafael Nadal. Indeed, in what was Federer’s final match, having recently announced his intention to retire, the former world No. 1 along with Nadal was defeated by Frances Tiafoe and Jack Sock 4-6, 7-6 (2), 11-9.
Fittingly, the crowd on hand was in full support of the Swiss icon throughout the match, with signs reading “Forever our No. 1″ seen throughout the arena. It wasn’t just the fans either, as even current World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz tweeted his thoughts live while watching the match on TV. As for the man himself? Federer put on a show and even mesmerized the crowd with one particular play, when he laced a forehand through the space at the corner of the net - see it above. “My eye is still good. I saw that it went through,” Federer joked with his bench during a break.
How did Federer and Nadal play together?
As one can imagine, emotions were running high on the night. Nadal, uncharacteristically had a handful of errors during his first set of serves. Yet, true to form, the two eternal rivals kept a lighthearted approach to the evening’s affairs, as they promptly took a 1-0 lead in the first set. Collectively, it was fascinating to observe two players who aren’t accustomed to playing on the same side of the net, adjust to each other. Fans could only delight, as the pair overcame an initial crossing of wires.
The Breakdown: Tiafoe and Sock won, but how?
With the crowd well into it and Novak Djokovic giving tips from the sides, the duel proved to be an interesting one. Though team world put up a good fight, Team Europe took the first set by a score of 6-4. It was becoming increasingly clear, that Tiafoe and Sock weren’t simply going to lie down. With that said, Team Europe came to within touching distance of victory, but Team World battled back to tie the second set at 5-5. At that point, drama unfolded as Federer and Nadal battled back from 40-0 to take the advantage. Yet, there was to be even more of a tit for tat, with Tiafoe and Sock finally winning 11-9 in an epic encounter.
Finally, it was not to be for Federer and Nadal, but the loss did nothing to take away the weight of the moment. With family, fellow players and fans present, Federer expressed his gratitude as the audience rose to a standing ovation. “It does feel like a celebration to me,” Federer said. “I wanted it to feel like this at the end, and it’s exactly what I hoped for, so thank you.”