InsertedSeptember 24, 2022, 02:27
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TennisThe last tears of an eternal champion
Roger Federer said goodbye to tennis on Friday night after a double loss of breath with Rafael Nadal. Huge collective emotion.
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- Mathieu Aeschmann
(London)
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Roger Federer’s emotion after his doubles defeat against Rafael Nadal on Friday night at the Laver Cup.
–Getty Images for Laver Cup
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Here it is finished. Roger Federer left the world of tennis, his world, in the middle of the London night. It was midnight and a half on Friday night when a Jack Sock final forehand winner scored the latter double and released the thrills of a lifetime (6-4, 6-7, 9-11). The man with twenty Grand Slam titles could fall into the arms of his family and the tennis family. “I had a perfect day,” he said between sobs. A perfect day because shared, with wife, children, parents, friends and several generations of champions gathered to say thank you.
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Complicity for eternity
Of the latter double, it must be admitted, we will keep only a few things. Certainly not the score, because a competitor of the caliber of “RF” would have preferred to start with a success. But rather the smiles and complicit words constantly exchanged with Rafael Nadal; sealing for eternity a bond that has strengthened over the years. Or this annoying impression, every time Sock or Tiafoe hit the volleyball player with all their might, that tennis won’t find two players so comfortable on the net. Finally, there was the intensity of the last quarter of an hour of play, when Roger Federer clenched his fist like the first day and came up with a divine ending on the fly. The will of the “Master”.
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Endless day
Before this climax, the excitement had been hidden in the silences of an endless day. Of course, Roger Federer had been celebrated, honored, applauded. The crowd had even lined up wisely, around 6:30 pm, to pass the glass training ground and immortalize this last warm-up while paying a final tribute. On the screens, behind the scenes, during an “Instagram live”, the “Maestro” laughed a lot. As if to reject the emotion that seemed to want to take possession of him already at 13, during the presentation of the teams. “I don’t want a funeral atmosphere, he warned him on Wednesday. I wish it were powerful and joyful. I hope for a great party “.
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Nadal’s tears
The party was really beautiful. But as the day went on, it took on a veil of nostalgia. And even at the heart of this latest double, the “let’s go, Roger, let’s go” rose in a slightly tense O2 Arena. As if everyone needed to let go by shedding a tear. These ended up sinking past midnight, at the end of this last “tie-break match”, on the occasion of hugs with peers. Then they became contagious: Rafael Nadal collapsed first and the world followed. Here it is finished.
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