'Tennis Emperor' Roger Federer (41, Switzerland) played in a group with Rafael Nadal (36, Spain) in the last match of his active career, but his career ended with a defeat.



Federer and Nadal played in the doubles match on the first day of the Laver Cup tennis tournament held in London, England on the 24th (Korea time), and Frances Tiapo-Jack (USA) 2-1 (6-4 6<2>-7) 9-11).



Federer announced on the 15th that he would retire at the end of the tournament, and at an official press conference for the tournament, he said that he would make his last match in active duty in doubles, which he will play in a group with Nadal.



Federer, who has not played since Wimbledon last July due to a knee injury, made his comeback after a year and two months of absence.



The Laver Cup was established in 2017 and is a men's tennis competition between Team Europe and Team World.



In this tournament, Federer, Nadal, Novak Djokovic (Serbia) and Andy Murray (England), who have recently reigned as the 'big four' of men's tennis in Team Europe, all participated as a team.



It is the first time in history that the 'Big 4' have formed a team.



In the doubles match between Federer and Nadal, Djokovic and Murray stood on the bench and cheered.



Federer, who was born in Basel, Switzerland in 1981 and started playing tennis at the age of 6, ended his 35-year tennis career with this match.



In particular, Nadal, who played in a group with Federer on that day, was Federer's strongest rival among the 'Big 4' that he competed with.



Nadal took the lead with 24 wins and 16 losses in 40 matches in his career, and Nadal recorded 6 wins and 3 losses in the finals of major tournaments.



Nadal has won 22 majors and Federer has won 20.



However, Federer was earlier in achieving 20 major wins with the Australian Open in 2018 and Nadal in the French Open in 2020.



Federer said, "We have been competing with Nadal for a long time, but we respect each other," Federer said. I did.



Federer pulled a devastating sub-ace in a match tiebreaker in a 3-set 5-5.



Also, in a situation behind 7-6, he scored with a forehand volley with a deep angle in front of the net.



With a 9-8 match point, Federer's turn to serve came back, and fans filled the O2 Arena cheered as they imagined Federer's retirement game ending with an ace.



However, Tiapo and Sok-Jo ended Federer's retirement game with three points in a row.



On the first day, Team Europe and Team World faced a tight 2-2 match in the triple single doubles match.



(Photo = Getty Images Korea)