■Our reporter Wu Shu
A long goodbye kicked off as Federer announced he would retire from professional tennis after this week's Laver Cup.
He had three knee surgeries in the past two years, and he has not set foot on the professional arena for more than a year... Federer's retirement was expected, but the farewell letter he sent on the 15th still shocked the tennis world.
"I'm 41 years old, I've played more than 1,500 games in 24 years, tennis has been more generous than I thought, and now I have to realize when it's time to end my career." It is written in the long article of the media.
In his long career, Federer has been ranked No. 1 in the men's singles world for 310 weeks, winning 103 singles titles, including 20 Grand Slam titles, second only to Djokovic in the number of Grand Slam titles. Covic (21) and Nadal (22).
The story of Federer and Nadal is a topic that cannot be avoided in the tennis world.
Shortly after Federer announced his retirement, the Spanish king paid tribute to his old friend with words and pictures on social media, "I hope this day will never come. For me personally and for the entire world of tennis, this is Sad day. It's been a pleasure and an honor to have so many amazing moments with you on and off the field over the years."
Nadal deliberately selected seven meaningful photos and used flashbacks to tell the friendship between the two on and off the field.
The first photo is of the last "Fena finale", which was the 2019 Wimbledon semi-final, after Federer beat Nadal 3-1, the two patted each other's chests to salute each other.
The last photo is the 2004 Miami Station, where the two long-haired rising stars met for the first time. The 18-year-old Nadal won 6-3 with both.
One is the "King of Clay Clay" who has reached the French Open 14 times, and the other is the "King of Grassland" who has won 8 Wimbledon titles.
Although Nadal has the upper hand with a record of 24 wins and 16 losses, at Wimbledon, Nadal is always a little behind.
The five-set match in the 2008 Wimbledon final was the only exception, with Nadal having the last laugh.
The Spaniard also posted this photo of the cup, which was unforgettable for both of them, with five-time Wimbledon champion Federer missing the title and four-time French Open champion Nadal finally winning at other Grand Slams. Breakthrough, it was at that time that Nadal completed his transformation and launched a powerful impact on the era of Federer's rule.
Thousands of sails have passed, and winning or losing on the court is no longer important. Nadal expressed his affectionate wishes to Federer in the next paragraph, "In the future, we will have many moments to share and many things to work together. And now, I From the bottom of my heart, I wish you and your wife Mirka, your children and family members the enjoyment of what lies ahead."
After Federer announced his retirement, countless eyes kept refreshing Djokovic's dynamics.
A day later, people waited for Djokovic's blessing, "Roger, it's not easy to usher in this day, and it's hard to put into words everything we share together in this sport. For more than a decade, those Incredible moments and fights to remember. Your career has set the tone for excellence and the way you play with integrity and grace. It has been an honor to meet you on and off the pitch, and for many years to come. "
As the youngest member of the "Big Three", Djokovic chose nine images to pay tribute to Federer.
In the 50 contests between the two sides, Djokovic also had a slight advantage with 27 wins and 23 losses, and the Serbs basically chose the moment when they lost.
Especially at the 2007 US Open, the 20-year-old Djokovic challenged Federer in the Grand Slam final for the first time, losing three sets in a row and finishing runner-up.
After that, Federer was never able to defeat Djokovic in the Grand Slam final again. The four encounters between the two sides ended with Djokovic having the last laugh.
In the unforgettable Wimbledon final in 2019, Federer missed two championship points and missed the 21 Grand Slam championships. Djokovic did not choose a post-match photo, but commemorated it with a pre-match photo. A famous duel.
If it is said that the first half of Federer's career was dominated by one person, then the second half encountered strong challenges from Nadal and Djokovic.
The opponent is also a comrade-in-arms. At the Laver Cup, which opens on Friday, the "Big Three" and Murray will form a European luxury team to accept the challenge of the new generation of players.
This golden age belonging to the "Big Three" has finally come to an end.
Opening Federer's social media, he updated another dynamic: "It is a wonderful thing to announce the news of retirement in the company of my parents and Mirka. No one thought that my tennis journey could go so long, It's really incredible." There are three photos attached to this dynamic, which are of him embracing his wife, meeting his parents, and smiling and looking at his mobile phone by himself. Maybe he is receiving blessings and greetings from his peers and fans. .
In just one month, Serena Williams and Federer retired one after another, and the world tennis world ushered in a period of renewal and iteration.
As Serena said to Roger: "Welcome to the retirement club, you will be who you are."