Roger Federer announced last week that he would retire after the Laver Cup, which takes place this weekend.
An immensely talented, elegant player with an extraordinary record, the Swiss has marked an entire generation since his debut almost 25 years ago.
20 Minutes devotes a series of articles to him this week before the final bow, this Friday evening in doubles alongside Rafael Nadal.
There are those inevitable events for which we refuse to prepare. Too painful. The announcement of Roger Federer's retirement is undoubtedly one of them. No one wanted to imagine what tennis would be like without the Swiss. But now we have to face the facts.
The Swiss finally said stop
, after 20
Grand Slam titles
in almost twenty-five years of career.
Before the last strokes of the master's racket, from Friday during the Laver Cup,
20 Minutes
devotes a series of articles to the one who will remain a legend of the game. Fifth and last episode this Friday, on this end of the course which leaves outstanding issues.
For Roger Federer, the great adventure will therefore end this Friday evening in London, the city he has enjoyed the most with his magic racket for two decades.
The imminent retiree has won eight Wimbledons and two of his six Masters in the English capital.
At 41, he will come full circle at the O2 Arena in the Laver Cup, with a double alongside Rafael Nadal against the American pair Jack Sock – Frances Tiafoe.
The setting is prestigious, the public conquered in advance, and the association with his friend-rival necessarily synonymous with a successful starting pot.
As of this Thursday, the images of training with "Rafa", but also Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray made the first tears flow down the cheeks of fans over thirty.
A practice session unlike any you've ever seen before #LaverCup pic.twitter.com/afhnYa0rSa
— Laver Cup (@LaverCup) September 22, 2022
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However, let us dare to ask the sacrilegious question: does a last lap in an exhibition tournament that he created constitute a successful outing for such a legend, whose martyred knee prevents him from lining up in singles other than to do high-level figuration there?
We can already hear the outraged reactions of some readers, faced with the presumptuousness of the piss-vinegar journal.
The "sadness" of Wawrinka
But after all, the killjoy scribbler is following in Stan Wawrinka's footsteps.
Earlier this week, Federer's former partner in the 2014 Davis Cup victory had dropped, on the sidelines of the Moselle Open: “His retirement inspired me with sadness.
He deserved a better outing, I think.
“In an ideal world, “Roggeur” would have pushed to the next Wimbledon.
He would not feel the weight of his 41 years, and would not have spent most of his time since 2019 playing the living models of Dr Maboul under the scalpel of the best surgeons.
The floor is with Lionel Roux, consultant for beIN Sport, broadcaster of the Laver Cup until Sunday, the day when the channel will devote a special program to the idol: "Even if we are called Federer, even if there is a big machine behind, even if a lot of people said "it's a well-regulated Swiss clock that will really decide when it should stop", you have to believe not and that at some point it's the body who decided.
»
The former coach of the French Davis Cup team commented on the last official meeting of the Swiss, the famous defeat in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon 2021 against Hubert Hurkacz, concluded with a scathing 6-0.
“We must not insist on this match and on this last set, warns Lionel Roux.
We had a little felt that it could be his last, even if, as a big fan of Federer, I didn't really want to believe it.
»
Since then, despite all his self-sacrifice, the Basel man had to resign himself to listening to his dented carcass of a forty-year-old.
The most elegant tennis player in history could not choose the day of his "little death", a privilege that is admittedly extremely rare.
For a Peter Sampras, who bowed out in 2002 with a final title at the US Open, his favorite tournament (even if he did not formalize his retirement until a year later), how many players forced to stop due to physical and mental wear and/or poor results?
“You just have to look at what he brought to tennis”
In a long interview with
L'Equipe
published on Thursday, Federer admits (obviously) that he would have liked to end with a triumph in a Major.
“Ideally, when you see his career, you say to yourself that the best thing would have been to end with a big epic match, won or lost at Wimbledon, with all the ceremonial of this tournament”, judge Lionel Roux.
Before immediately relativizing his remarks: “I don’t even know whether to insist on this.
You just have to look at what he brought to tennis.
He is an ambassador for our sport and sport at large, loved around the world.
»
Our file on Roger Federer
"Isn't it a great outing, stopping on an exhibition he created, which is a bit like his baby, with all the best players in the world, in a party that is still a bit crazy even if it remains an exhibition?
I think yes.
Even those who think otherwise will have their eyes reddened this Friday night when Roger and Rafa embrace.
And it won't be because of the pollen.
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Tennis
Roger Federer
Grand Slam
Wimbledon