"I am going to lose watching my favorite player; it was really fun watching you, you were sensational" - Golf champion Jack Nicklaus pays tribute to Roger Federer
Former professional golfer Jack Nicklaus paid tribute to the recently retired Roger Federer and raved about the Swiss maestro's contribution to the sport he graced for two decades.
Widely regarded as one of the all-time greats of professional golf, Jack Nicklaus is the winner of 18 Major championships. In a video posted by the ATP tour, the "Golden Bear," as he is commonly known, spoke about his love for Federer. Drawing comparisons from his own retirement day, Nicklaus acknowledged that the moment carried mixed emotions, but for the fans, it is always a "sad day."
"I remember when I retired from playing golf, you know it was a sad day but a happy day. That's a sad day for all of us who are tennis fans, who are Roger Federer fans."
Cherished every moment he got to watch Roger step on court!
@rogerfederer | #RForever | @jacknicklaus https://t.co/G3hY82EGv7
The veteran continued to speak highly of the Swiss and stated that he enjoyed watching him play live. The 82-year-old also said he would miss watching the former World No. 1 play.
"And I loved coming to Wimbledon, I loved to go to the US Open and other places to watch you play. I am going to lose watching my favorite player because it was really fun watching you. You were sensational. I love the way you handled yourself on the court. I love the way you handled yourself off the court. You have been a true champion for not only the game but for your family and everybody that you know loves you."
Concluding his tributary message, the American wished Federer good luck in his retirement while also congratulating him on a glorious career.
"Congratulations my friend, on a great career and I wish you all the best in your retirement, enjoy."
"I will never forget what he did for me in London" - Roger Federer on Rafael Nadal playing doubles with him at Laver Cup
At the Laver Cup, Roger Federer played the last match of his professional career, doubling up with Rafael Nadal at the Laver Cup.
While speaking to The New York Times, Federer revealed that he had informed the Spaniard of his decision to retire after the Laver Cup right after the US Open.
"I called him after the U.S. Open — I waited for him to finish that tournament — just to let him know about my retirement. And I just wanted to let him know before he started making some plans without the Laver Cup at all. Rafa told me, “I will try everything I possibly can to be there with you.” And that felt obviously incredible for me," he said.
Roger Federer & Rafael Nadal probably have the greatest rivalry & Friendship in Sports History.
The respect & admiration between the two even after competing in so many finals at the highest level, is unmatched.
#Fedal https://t.co/6aYXwyZaL6
The 20-time Grand Slam champion expressed his gratitude for Nadal's willingness to play despite his lack of fitness and the need to be with his wife, who is about to give birth to their first child. Federer asserted that their rivalry and friendship serve as evidence that athletes can be fiercely competitive while also forming strong bonds.
"It showed again how much we mean to one another and how much respect we have. And I just thought it would be just a beautiful, amazing story for us, for sports, for tennis, and maybe beyond that as well, where we can coexist in a tough rivalry and come out on top and show that, hey, again it’s just tennis," he said.
Yes, it’s hard, and it’s brutal sometimes, but it’s always fair. And you can come out on the other side and still have this great, friendly rivalry. I just thought it ended up even better than I ever thought it would. So, an incredible effort by Rafa, and I’ll obviously never forget what he did for me in London," he added.