Roger Federer Loses Farewell Doubles Match with Rafael Nadal at 2022 Laver Cup
Sep 23, 2022
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 23: Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal of Team Europe react during the doubles match between Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe of Team World and Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal of Team Europe during Day One of the Laver Cup at The O2 Arena on September 23, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images for Laver Cup)
Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer played his final match alongside Rafael Nadal in the Laver Cup on Friday at O2 Arena in London, and the duo fell 6-4, 6(2)-7, 9-11 loss to American duo Frances Tiafoe and Jack Sock.
Federer, a 20-time Grand Slam champion, announced his retirement from professional tennis on Sept. 15, revealing the Laver Cup would mark his farewell from the sport. He said in a post on his social media accounts (h/t ESPN):
"As many of you know, the past three years have presented me with challenges in the form of injuries and surgeries. I've worked hard to return to full competitive form. But I also know my body's capacities and limits, and its message to me lately has been clear.
"I am 41 years old. I have played more than 1500 matches over 24 years. Tennis has treated me more generously than I ever would have dreamt, and now I must recognize when it is time to end my competitive career."
Friday's match was full of excitement and felt like the whole world was watching.
After a back-and-forth battle with the first set tied 4-4, Federer and Nadal combined to win the next two games and claim the set. Federer played an easy volley to bring up set point and took charge with a forehand shot that was too hot for Sock to handle.
The second set came down to a tiebreak, and Tiafoe and Sock came out on top to force a third set, winning the tiebreak 7-6 (2) as Federer was forced into an error.
The third set saw a great battle between the two sides, but Tiafoe and Sock proved to be too much for Federer and Nadal.
Down 9-8, Tiafoe fought back to tie the set 9-9 before responding to a Federer serve with a thunderous forehand return winner to give the Americans a 10-9 lead. With match point and Sock serving, the two teams engaged in a lengthy rally before Sock ended the match with a forehand winner to the corner.
Unbelievable rally from Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe 🤯
While Federer lost, he still goes down as one of the greatest tennis players of all time. He competed in more than 1,500 matches, winning 103 singles titles and 20 Grand Slams in his storied career.
20 Grand Slam titles 103 singles titles Oldest ever world No. 1 at age 36 Record 237 consecutive weeks at world No. 1 ranking Record 8x Wimbledon men’s singles titles 5x U.S. Open singles titles 6x Australian Open singles titles https://t.co/tSYqxgqvPY
Federer is the second tennis great to enter retirement of late, joining Serena Williams, who retired after the US Open earlier this month.
Roger Federer to Play Doubles with Rafael Nadal in Final Match Before Retirement
Sep 22, 2022
Switzerland's Roger Federer (L) and Spain's Rafael Nadal share a laugh during a press conference for Team Europe ahead of the 2022 Laver Cup at the O2 Arena in London on September 22, 2022. - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)
Roger Federer got his wish: His final
official match will be played alongside longtime friendly rival
Rafael Nadal in the 2022 Laver Cup on Friday.
The tournament pairings were announced
Thursday, with the two tennis icons set to play for Team Europe against the Team World tandem of
Frances Tiafoe and Jack Sock in doubles. Federer, who confirmed his retirement
after this week's event, said Wednesday he was hoping to team up with
Nadal.
"Of course, no doubt,"
Federer told reporters. "I think it could be quite a unique
situation, if it were to happen. For as long as we battled together,
having had always this respect for one another, our families,
coaching teams, for us as well to go through a career we both have
had, come out the other side and have a nice relationship, is maybe a
great message to tennis and beyond. For that reason, it would be
great, I don't know if it will happen, but it would be great."
Federer and Nadal have faced off 40 times in
their legendary careers, and one of those encounters, the 2008
Wimbledon final, has a strong argument as the greatest tennis match
ever played. Nadal won that memorable meeting and holds a 24-16 edge
overall.
Despite frequently facing off on the
sport's biggest stages, the relationship remained cordial.
"After all the amazing things that
we share together on and off court, [to] be part of this historic
moment, going to be something yeah, amazing and unforgettable for
me," Nadal said Thursday. "And yeah, super excited, I hope
I can have a good answer time, play at a decent level and hopefully
together we can create a good moment and maybe win a match."
Federer didn't play any Grand Slam
tournaments this year because of lingering knee problems, and he
admitted Wednesday there's still a level of concern about his match
readiness.
"So here I am, trying to prepare
for one last doubles," he said. "We'll see how it is. I am
nervous, because I haven't played for so long. I hope it goes well."
The 20-time Grand Slam champion will be
replaced by Matteo Berrettini on the Team Europe roster after
Friday's doubles match.
Other members of the European squad
include Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Casper Ruud and Stefanos
Tsitsipas.
They'll battle a Team World group
featuring Tiafoe, Sock, Taylor Fritz, Félix Auger-Aliassime, Diego
Schwartzman and Alex de Minaur.
The tournament runs Friday through
Sunday at the O2 Arena in London.
Roger Federer: 'Impossible' to Compare Careers of Me, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic
Sep 21, 2022
FILE - Serbia's Novak Djokovic, left, and Spain's Rafael Nadal look at each other as they pose for images prior to the final match of the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France, in this Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020, file photo. When this year’s French Open starts Sunday, May 30, 2021, in Paris, Nadal will be seeking his 21st Grand Slam title to break a tie with Roger Federer for the men’s record, while Djokovic will try to close the gap with those two by earning his 19th.(AP Photo/Michel Euler, File)
Roger Federer is clearly among the best players in men's tennis history, but he doesn't have a clear answer for the Greatest of All Time debate between him, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
"How can you compare?" Federer asked, per Howard Fendrich of the Associated Press. "What’s better? To win when you're old or when you're young? I have no idea, you know? Is it better to win on clay or grass? Don't know. Is it better to have super dominant years or come back from injury? I don't know. It really is impossible to grasp."
Federer long held the record for the most Grand Slam singles titles and earned his 20th at the 2018 Australian Open. His two rivals in the Big Three have since passed him, with Nadal currently having 22 and Djokovic sitting at 21.
The 41-year-old Federer announced his retirement last week after struggling with injuries over the past few years.
It helped reignite the arguments over the best ever, which Federer admitted was "a good conversation" and "definitely a fun debate."
All three could have been even more dominant if not for having to face each other during the same era. Twice in his career, Federer won three of the four majors with only a French Open Final loss to Nadal keeping him from the calendar Grand Slam.
Nadal has clearly been the best on clay, winning 14 times at Roland Garros, while Djokovic's nine wins at the Australian Open are also a record. Federer was the most dominant on grass, winning Wimbledon a record eight times.
Federer also had arguably the most impressive run earlier in his career, reaching 10 straight Slam finals while staying No. 1 for 237 straight weeks. Nadal and Djokovic still have enough accomplishments to continue the debate long after all of them retire.
"Everybody calling each other 'GOAT.' 'GOAT.' 'GOAT.' 'GOAT.' 'GOAT.' 'GOAT.' I'm like, Come on, OK? There cannot be possibly that many 'GOATs,'" Federer joked. "In Switzerland, we have a lot of them, but they're in the fields."
Rafael Nadal Wishes Roger Federer 'All the Happiness' After Tennis Legend Retires
Sep 15, 2022
Switzerland's Roger Federer (R) hugs Spain's Rafael Nadal (L) during their tennis match at The Match in Africa at the Cape Town Stadium, in Cape Town on February 7, 2020. (Photo by RODGER BOSCH / AFP) (Photo by RODGER BOSCH/AFP via Getty Images)
Rafael Nadal wished fellow tennis legend Roger Federer the best Thursday after Federer announced his retirement from the sport.
Nadal noted that while it is a "sad day" to see his "friend and rival" retire, he hopes Federer has nothing but happiness in retirement:
We will have many more moments to share together in the future, there are still lots of things to do together, we know that. For now, I truly wish you all the happiness with your wife, Mirka, your kids, your family and enjoy what’s ahead of you. I’ll see you in London @LaverCup
Federer is arguably the greatest men's tennis player of all time, but at age 41, injuries caught up to him and have prevented him from playing in any Grand Slam tournaments since reaching the quarterfinals at Wimbledon last year.
With 20 career Grand Slam titles during the Open Era, Federer is behind only Nadal and Novak Djokovic on the all-time list. Federer is also first for the most Wimbledon men's titles with eight.
Federer had many memorable matches and rivalries during his career, but none came close to matching what he and Nadal did together.
All told, Federer and Nadal faced each other 40 times, and Nadal holds a 24-16 advantage. Fourteen of those matches were in Grand Slam tournaments, and Nadal won 10 of them.
Federer managed two Wimbledon finals and one Australian Open final win over Nadal, though, and he defeated the Spaniard in their last match, which was in the semifinals at Wimbledon in 2019.
The Swiss star went on to lose a five-set thriller to Djokovic in what was the last Grand Slam final of his illustrious career.
While it is possible Djokovic will be considered the top player of all time, tennis was at one of its highest points when Federer and Nadal dominated the sport and faced each other on its biggest stages time and time again.
Federer's retirement is a sign that time may be getting short for Nadal as well, and it became even clearer at the U.S. Open that the young guns are starting to emerge as 19-year-old Carlos Alcaraz won the tournament.
A golden era in men's tennis is coming to an end, but the respect that two of its biggest stars have for each other will mean it's remembered fondly for years to come.
US Open Tennis 2022 Results: Rafael Nadal, Iga Świątek Highlight Saturday's Winners
Sep 3, 2022
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 03: Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts against Richard Gasquet of France during their Men's Singles Third Round match on Day Six of the 2022 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 03, 2022 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
The third round of the men's and women's singles tournaments at the 2022 U.S. Open continued Saturday at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, New York.
The early window was highlighted by matches on the women's side between Jessica Pegula and Yue Yuan, and Victoria Azarenka and Petra Martić. On the men's side, matches between Cameron Norrie and Holger Rune, and Carlos Alcaraz and Jenson Brooksby highlighted the action.
The evening window featured a match between Rafael Nadal and Richard Gasquet on the men's side at Arthur Ashe Stadium, while the women's side saw world No. 1 Iga Świątek go head-to-head with American Lauren Davis at Louis Armstrong Stadium.
Here's a look at Saturday's scores and recaps of the day's biggest results.
Petra Kvitová ousted Garbiñe Muguruza in a huge upset in the women's singles tournament at the U.S. Open with an impressive third-round victory that saw her win 5-7, 6-3, 7-6 (10) at Louis Armstrong Stadium.
Saturday's match was arguably Kvitová's toughest challenge of the U.S. Open thus far. After dropping the first set 5-7, she bounced back with an impressive performance to claim a second-set victory.
The 32-year-old struggled immensely to begin the third set, putting herself in a 5-2 hole. However, a double-fault and an error by Muguruza allowed Kvitová to get back into the set before fighting back for the victory in a tiebreak.
This marks the 13th time Kvitová has reached the round of 16 at the U.S. Open since 2008. She will face No. 8 seed Jessica Pegula in the fourth round on Monday.
Kvitová has defeated Pegula in both of their previous meetings, including a 6-4, 6-3 win in the third round of the 2020 U.S. Open.
Norrie defeated Holger Rune 7-5, 6-4, 6-1 in straight sets to reach the fourth round of the U.S. Open for the first time in his career.
Norrie was tremendous on the first serve, winning 77 percent compared to Rune's 55. He also forced the Dane into 43 unforced errors as he continued to grind him down throughout the match.
However, Rune put up a good fight in the first set after Norrie lost two set points at 5-5. Norrie quickly got back in control, though, and went on to serve out in the opener to win 7-5.
Norrie went on to win the second and third sets with little blowback from Rune. He'll face Andrey Rublev in the round of 16 on Monday.
No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz def. Jenson Brooksby: 6-3, 6-3, 6-3
Alcaraz is into the round of 16 following a 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 win over Brooksby on Saturday at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Alcaraz is the youngest man to reach the fourth round of the U.S. Open in back-to-back years since Pete Sampras in 1989 and 1990. Last year, the 19-year-old reached the quarterfinal, where he was defeated by Felix Auger Aliassime.
Alcaraz faced little pressure against Brooksby. However, he lost the first three games of the third set before bouncing back to win the next six games in a row.
This marks the third straight-set win in the U.S. Open for the Spaniard, who defeated Sebastian Baez in the first round via walkover and Federico Coria 6-2, 6-1, 7-5 in the second round.
Alcaraz will face Marin Čilić in the round of 16 on Monday.
Another upset in the women's singles tournament saw Karolína Plíšková defeat Belinda Bencic 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 to reach the fourth round of the U.S. Open for the second straight year.
Bencic held a 7-5, 2-0 lead over Plíšková before the Czech star fought back with much better serves and groundstrokes to capture the second set.
In the third set, Plíšková led by a break at 3-1 and 4-2, but Bencic did just enough to capture the third point before Plíšková sealed the victory with forehand winners for the last two points of the set.
Plíšková will face Victoria Azarenka in the round of 16 on Monday with a spot in the quarterfinals on the line. Their head-to-head sits at four wins a piece, though they have not met in more than three years.
No. 2 Rafael Nadal def. Richard Gasquet: 6-0, 6-1, 7-5
Nadal cruised past Gasquet 6-0, 6-1, 7-5 to clinch a berth in the fourth round.
Gasquet never truly got into the match against the four-time U.S. Open champion and didn't record his first victory until late in the second set.
The Frenchman put up more of a fight in the third set, tying it 2-2 before taking a 5-4 lead. However, Nadal ramped up the pressure even more and went on to win the next three points to seal the victory.
The win marked Nadal's 18th consecutive victory over Gasquet, and he has won 34 straight sets against the 36-year-old.
Nadal will face American Francis Tiafoe in the round of 16 on Monday night in what is sure to be a prime-time matchup. He has won both of his previous meetings against Tiafoe.
Daniil Medvedev and Emma Raducanu will defend major titles for the first time in their careers at the 2022 U.S. Open. Medvedev comes into New York as the No. 1...
Rafael Nadal Withdraws from National Bank Open with Abdominal Injury
Aug 6, 2022
LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 06: Rafael Nadal of Spain during his match against Taylor Fritz of The United States in their Men's Singles Quarter Final match on day ten of The Championships Wimbledon 2022 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 06, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)
Rafael Nadal is withdrawing from the upcoming National Bank Open in Montreal as he continues to deal with an abdominal injury.
Nadal said in a statement via Tennis Canada (h/t ATP Tour):
“I have been practicing for a while now without serving and started with serves four days ago. Everything has been going well. However yesterday, after my normal practice, I felt a slight bother on my abdominal and today it was still there.
“After speaking with my doctor, we prefer to take things in a conservative way and give a few more days before starting to compete. I would like to thank Eugene, the Tournament Director, and all his team for understanding and supporting me and this decision.
“I am very sad not to finally travel to Montréal. It’s a tournament that I have won 5 times and I love to play there. I seriously hope I can come back there to play in front of the amazing crowds up there.”
Spanish newspaper Marca (h/t ESPN's Simon Cambers) reported in July during Wimbledon that Nadal had a 7-millimeter tear in one of his abdominal muscles.
The World No. 3 reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals, where he defeated Taylor Fritz 3-6, 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (10-4). However, he was unable to compete in a scheduled semifinal clash with Australian Nick Kyrgios due to the abdominal injury.
Nadal has not competed since withdrawing from the Wimbledon semifinals.
The Spaniard has claimed five titles in Canada. He has won three events in Montreal and two in Toronto over his legendary career, with his last victory in the country coming in the 2019 Canadian Open.
Despite the abdominal injury and missing all of April with a stress fracture in his rib suffered in a match against countryman Carlos Alcaraz at Indian Wells in March, Nadal has still enjoyed an impressive 2022 campaign.
The 36-year-old is 35-3 and won the Australian Open in Melbourne and French Open at Roland Garros to capture sole possession of the most Grand Slam titles in men's history with 22.
In addition to Nadal, Novak Djokovic also withdrew from the National Bank Open. He remains unvaccinated against COVID-19 and isn't eligible to enter Canada without being fully vaccinated.
Alcaraz, Kyrgios, Casper Ruud, Stefanos Tsitsipas and world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev will be the players to watch in Montreal with Nadal and Djokovic out of the tournament.
The next major event in the tennis circuit comes later this month at the U.S. Open. Nadal's status for the tournament, which he last won in 2019, remains unclear.
Report: Rafael Nadal Plans to Play with Abdominal Tear Injury in Wimbledon Semifinals
Jul 7, 2022
LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 06: Rafael Nadal of Spain plays against Taylor Fritz (not seen) of The United States during their Men's Singles Quarter Final match on day ten of The Championships Wimbledon 2022 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 06, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Despite suffering through a painful abdominal injury during his quarterfinal win over Taylor Fritz on Wednesday, Rafael Nadal reportedly plans to play his Wimbledon semifinal match against Nick Kyrgios on Friday.
According to Spanish newspaper Marca (h/t Ben Rothenberg of Racquet Magazine), Nadal wants to play Friday despite dealing with a seven-millimeter tear in his abdominal area.
Remarkably, the second-seeded Nadal outlasted Fritz, 3-6, 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (10-4), in the quarters to put himself just two wins away from a third career Wimbledon title.
Per ESPN, Nadal's father signaled to him from the stands to quit at one point during the match, and Rafa admitted afterward that there were "a lot of moments" when he doubted he would be able to finish.
During the on-court interview following his win over Fritz, Nadal was noncommittal about the semifinals: "I don't know. Honestly, I can't give you a clear answer. I don't know exactly what I have. It's clear something's not right. I'm obviously worried."
Nadal also said the abdominal issue began a week earlier but got significantly worse during the first set of his quarterfinal match.
If the Spaniard does attempt to fight through the pain Friday, he will face a Grand Slam semifinal debutant in Kyrgios who is playing some of the best tennis of his career.
The 27-year-old Aussie has always been an elite talent, but inconsistency has often held him back.
Though unseeded, Kyrgios beat No. 4 Stefanos Tsitsipas in the third round and Cristian Garin in the quarters.
Kyrgios is a six-time tournament winner on the ATP Tour and was once ranked as high as No. 13 in the world, but his best Grand Slam result before this year's Wimbledon was reaching the quarters at Wimbledon in 2014 and the Australian Open in 2015.
While Kyrgios is just 3-6 in his career against Nadal and has lost each of the past three, he did beat Nadal at Wimbledon in 2014.
He may also have a marked advantage over the 22-time Grand Slam champion on Friday, given Nadal's injury woes.
Provided Nadal vs. Kyrgios happens, the winner of that match will meet the winner of No. 1 Novak Djokovic vs. No. 9 Cameron Norrie in the final.
Wimbledon 2022: Rafael Nadal, Nick Kyrgios Wins Highlight Monday's Results
Jul 4, 2022
Australia's Nick Kyrgios celebrates after beating Brandon Nakashima of the US in a men's singles fourth round match on day eight of the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, Monday, July 4, 2022. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
A calendar Grand Slam remains in play for Rafael Nadal, who advanced to the quarterfinals of Wimbledon on Monday.
Nadal beat No. 21 seed Botic van de Zandschulp. Elsewhere in the men's singles draw, Nick Kyrgios outlasted Brandon Nakashima in a five-setter.
Men's Singles Results
No. 2 Rafael Nadal def. No. 21 Botic van de Zandschulp 6-4, 6-2, 7-6(6)
No. 11 Taylor Fritz def. Jason Kubler 6-3, 6-1, 6-4
Cristian Garin def. No. 19 Alex de Minaur 2-6, 5-7, 7-6(3), 6-4, 7-6(6)
Nick Kyrgios def. Brandon Nakashima 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(2), 3-6, 6-2
Kyrgios' upset of fourth-seeded Stefanos Tsitsipas made for great theater. Beyond the drama they generated through their four-set battle, the two were clearly attempting to get under one another's skin.
On Monday, the Australian seemed to be more singularly focused on the task at hand.
This is interesting. Nick Kyrgios, who has seemingly been dealing with pain in his arm/shoulder, digs into his well of professionalism (!) to gut out a two sets to one lead over Nakashima. In contrast to Saturday's antics, Kyrgios has barely emoted or said a word today.
Kyrgios had to dig out of an early hole after Nakashima took the first set. Dropping serve at 4-5 provided the breakthrough Nakashima needed.
In the second and third sets, Kyrgios was determined not to let that happen again. He registered 19 aces and one double-fault over the two sets and won 49 of his 61 service points.
Nakashima appeared to retake control of the match when he earned two service breaks and cruised in the fourth set.
But Kyrgios hit the reset button during the break in play and dominated the decisive frame. He hit 16 winners to five unforced errors and won 15-of-19 first-service points.
Nadal didn't have anywhere near the same trouble with Van de Zandschulp. Van de Zandschulp mounted some resistance in the third set, but it was far too late to make a difference on the match.
The Dutchman simply had no answers for Nadal's serve. The two-time Wimbledon champion won 73 percent of his first-service points and 66 percent of his points on second serve.
Three of Van de Zandschulp's four break-point opportunities came in the third set, when he was attempting to dig himself out of a massive hole.
When Nadal couldn't capitalize on triple match point in the tiebreaker, it looked like the southpaw might have to go to a fourth set. He quickly regained his focus and clinched the victory.
In the women's singles draw, Simona Halep made a major statement to the remaining field with a straightforward straight-set upset of No. 4 Paula Badosa.
The 2019 Wimbledon champion has yet to drop a set and lost only 22 games through her first four matches. That efficiency carried over into Monday as she needed just one hour to earn the win.
2019 champ Simona Halep easily beats the world #4 Paula Badosa 6-1, 6-2 in 59 minutes to reach the QFs at Wimbledon for the 5th time.
16th career Grand Slam QF for the former #1, who is imo the favorite for the title in 2022 atm.
It was a triumphant return to Centre Court for Halep, who hadn't played there since the 2019 final.
"Actually, I was more nervous yesterday than today," she said after the match. "It's very special to be back I missed a lot, to play in Wimbledon. Three years was a lot ... It's always a pleasure to come back and to have the chance to play on Centre Court."
Halep will play Amanda Anisimova in the quarterfinals in what might be a de facto championship since she and Anisimova have been two of the top performers at the All England Club this year.
On the heels of upsetting Coco Gauff in the third round, the 20-year-old American ended Harmony Tan's Cinderella run.
