Roger Federer will mark the final appearance of his professional career with a doubles match alongside his great rival Rafael Nadal at the Laver Cup in London on Friday night.
To nobody’s great surprise, the schedule for the opening day’s play at the O2 Arena brought confirmation that the pair would rekindle a partnership first unveiled at the Ryder Cup-style event in Prague five years ago.
Federer and Nadal, representing Team Europe, will take on the all-American Team World pairing of Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe.
“I’m not sure if I can handle it all,” said Federer, contemplating what promises to be a momentous, emotionally charged evening following last week’s announcement that he will retire at the annual event he established five years ago.
“I’ll try. I have had some tougher moments as well in the past, being horribly nervous all these years sometimes before matches. This one definitely feels a whole lot different.
“Of course, it’s super special playing with Rafa. Feels really different, you know. Also, just walking out on court and having the chance to play with the likes of Rafa or Novak [Djokovic] in the past has been an amazing experience for me. So to be able to do that one more time, I’m sure it’s going to be wonderful.
“Like I said, I will try my very best. I hope to be good out there, and of course I will enjoy it, but it will be hard.”
Though Federer’s ailing knees have ruled him out of singles contention in London, it is hard to imagine a more fitting send-off for the 41-year-old. His rivalry with Nadal, which began in Miami in 2004 and reached its apotheosis in 2008, when the pair contested an epic Wimbledon final that is widely regarded as one of the greatest matches of all time, has had a defining influence on the careers of both men.
Nadal, who won 24 of their 40 meetings despite a late-career burst from Federer that earned the Swiss victory in six of their last seven meetings – most notably the Australian Open final of 2017, when both men were returning from extended injury layoffs – struck a similarly upbeat note as Team Europe faced the press in London on Thursday.
“After all the amazing things that we shared together on and off court, to be part of this historic moment is going to be something amazing, unforgettable for me,” said Nadal. “[I’m] super excited. I hope I can have a good chance to play at a decent level, and hopefully together we can create a good moment and maybe win a match.
“Having Roger next to me one more time will be something that I am very [much] looking forward [to]. Just very happy for that.”
Asked what memories of his rivalry with Federer he would most cherish, Nadal said the enduring cordiality of their off-court relationship outweighed the significance of their meetings between the lines. The Spaniard emphasised the wider significance of Federer’s place in the sport’s pantheon, but admitted the Swiss had perhaps been the most important figure in his own career, adding that it would be “difficult” to bid farewell to the 20-time grand slam champion.
“I think the memories that Roger brings to the sport, in my personal way, they are not only in matches against me,” said Nadal. “
“I saw him playing comfortably before I arrived on tour. I saw him having success on TV, and then [we were] able to create an amazing rivalry together.
“On the other hand, something that probably we are [both] very proud [of], it has been a friendly rivalry. Not easy, sometimes, because we are playing for such an important things for our tennis career, but at the same time we were able to understand that, at the end, personal relationships are more important than professional things sometimes. We were able to handle it, I think, the proper way.
“Tomorrow is going to be a special thing. I think very difficult. Gonna be difficult to handle everything, especially for Roger, without a doubt. For me too. You know, at the end one of the most important players, if not most important player in my tennis career, is leaving, no? At the end, [to] live this moment will be difficult. I am super excited and grateful to play with him.”