"Rafa, Andy, Novak all being very emotional as Roger was breaking down, that was a really special moment for our sport" - Tennis journalist on Roger Federer's farewell at the 2022 Laver Cup
Nick McCarvel, a well-known tennis reporter, analyst, and host, recently discussed Roger Federer's farewell at the 2022 Laver Cup.
After a stellar career that featured 103 ATP singles titles, including 20 Grand Slams, Federer bid adieu at the 2022 Laver Cup with one final match before his retirement at age 41.
His career as a professional tennis player came to an end after losing in doubles alongside longtime rival Rafael Nadal, and his touching farewell speech drove nearly everyone in the stadium to tears, including Novak Djokovic, Nadal, and Andy Murray.
In light of this, tennis hosts Marc Sterne and Nick McCarvel discussed the Swiss' farewell match on a recent episode of Courtside: The US Open podcast. McCarvel stated that he believed Federer was planning to return to Wimbledon in 2023, but his body wasn't ready, so he decided to end his career at the Laver Cup, a tournament he co-founded.
"It was amazing. I think Roger [Federer] pushed himself to get ready. I think he was trying to come back. He came to Wimbledon for that centenary celebration to center court. I think there was the idea that he was gonna make the final push for one more Wimbledon 2023, but the body just wasn't up to it," McCarvel said.
McCarvel went on to remark that Nadal, Murray, Djokovic, and Federer all bursting into tears was a special moment for the sport and was "hard to contextualize."
"That week was so special, having Novak, Andy and Rafa there, having the next generation guys like Casper and Stef and even the team world guys. The scenes, Rafa [Nadal], Andy [Murray], Novak [Djokovic], all being very emotional in their own ways as Roger [Federer] was breaking down. That was a really special moment for our sport and it's hard sometimes I think for us to contextualize it," he added.
Novak Djokovic equals Roger Federer's record of 6 ATP Finals titles
Novak Djokovic equaled Roger Federer's record of six Nitto ATP Finals titles on Sunday, defeating Norwegian Casper Ruud 7-5, 6-3 in the final of the year-ending tournament.
The 35-year-old, who had lost his last two finals appearances at the tournament, became the oldest champion with this triumph and also earned the biggest paycheck in tennis history, walking away with $4.7 million.