A great moment of humanity and generosity. And a week that all the many admirers of the great Roger Federer will not forget. Arrived in London on Tuesday for the Laver Cup – the last competition of his career – which takes place at the Millennium Dome from Friday to Sunday, the Swiss legend gave a press conference some new truths about his last months, the present moments and its immediate future. With class, of course.
“At the beginning of the summer, I couldn’t increase the level of intensity in training, says the man with 20 Grand Slam titles in his press conference. In my case, you had to be very careful. I was very tired from my efforts, tennis is a brutal sport. The hardest part is when you realize it’s over. I thought for a long time that I could return to the circuit. But everyone has to leave the circuit at some point. »
Federer, who has already announced that he will not play singles this Laver Cup, confirmed that he will only play a doubles this Friday: “It’s an ATP tournament, I don’t want to do anything. I spoke with Bjorn (Borg, the captain of the European team which will be opposed to that of the World), he agreed that I only play a doubles on Friday. We’ll see who I play with. I’m nervous, I haven’t played for a long time. All tennis lovers now hope it will be with Rafael Nadal. In singles, the native of Basel will be replaced on Saturday and Sunday by the Italian Mattéo Berrettini.
From next week, a new life awaits the Swiss, who welcomes the support of his fans and the exchanges he has experienced during his 24-year professional career. “I was a bit scared to face the media, the fans and talk about my retirement without being emotional. I wanted to be happy to announce my retirement. I didn’t want people to worry: I saw it well! »
Due to the place of his last meeting on a court, the eight-time winner of Wimbledon feels a particular emotion: “I have great memories here (London). I didn’t want to do it at the US Open, I knew I couldn’t be there. Having Björn Borg on the bench for my last game, with all the guys around, is great. I’ve always felt sad watching players retire, 90% of the time you lose and you’re on your own. »
“I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished,” concludes the champion with 103 titles on the circuit. Everything was just a bonus after my fifteenth Grand Slam at Wimbledon. But chasing records has never dictated my career. The most important thing was to be happy on the court. I want the fans to know that I will not be a ghost after I retire. You will always see me. »