Two men sitting on a bench, alone in the world in the middle of everyone, shaken by their emotions to the point of seeing them overflow in tears. A suspended moment during which one lets himself grab the hand of the other after having briefly placed it on his thigh while Ellie Goulding sings Still Falling for You. A scene that seems to come straight out of a (successful) romantic comedy, but a scene so poignant in its sincerity that it is nothing like a movie. At the end of September 2022, Roger Federer draws the curtain on his career as a professional player, sharing a moving, powerful moment with his old friend Rafael Nadal.
Two years later, while the photo of this sequence engraved in history is framed at the Swiss’s house as he revealed to The Country In June, the possibility of seeing the Spaniard also say goodbye at the Laver Cup crossed many minds at the beginning of August. When he announced his withdrawal from the US Open by announcing that his next competition (exhibition, the Laver Cup is however recognized by the ATP) would be the one created by Federer and his agent. But no. In mid-September, a week before the start, Nadal, not considering himself in good enough shape, decided to withdraw.
The moment Fedal made history again, with nothing more than a simple gesture of comfort. Here’s the video to the Roger & Rafa hand holding picture ❤️ pic.twitter.com/u3kVA2f9zi
— 🌊 🏔☀️❤️🩹 (@untiedsneakers) September 27, 2022
If the Majorcan is still announced at 6 Kings Slam – an off-circuit tournament organized in Saudi Arabia with Djokovic, Alcaraz, Sinner, Medvedev and Rune – in October, his closest future appearance in an official event could take place in November in the Davis Cup, in Malaga. Yes, I spoke with him (Nadal), confided David Ferrercaptain of Spain, as relayed As. I don’t know yet (if he will play the Final 8), but why not. It’s a possibility. »
By becoming concrete, it would rekindle the “What if this was Nadal’s very last?” All the more so since the opportunity seems ideal: in front of the Spanish public, aiming for a new title for his country. But whatever his final decision – possibly bowing out or pushing on until 2025 – it belongs to him alone. Before facing what top athletes call “the little death”, only one thing matters: leaving hand in hand with his inner peace.
