"We have been lucky and privileged to be watching not only him but these amazing years of tennis with these great champions"- Sue Barker pays heartfelt tribute to Roger Federer after his retirement
Sue Barker, a former tennis player, and televisionhost,t joined a long list of well-known people in paying tribute to tennis legend Roger Federer following his retirement.
Federer, the 20-time Grand Slam singles champion, announced his retirement from tennis during the 2022 Laver Cup at the O2 Arena in London. On September 23, he teamed up with longtime adversary Rafael Nadal to compete in a doubles match, which served as his farewell encounter.
Sue Barker gave Roger Federer a heartfelt homage in an interview with the BBC. The Brit remarked that for all these years; it has been a pleasure to watch the Swiss swing his racquet on the court. She also described him as the most "amazing person to interview."
"We have had many many interviews over the years and he is always so giving, isn't he? In interviews, you sit down with him, he is such a pro, you ask him one question and off he goes. He is just the most amazing person to interview and he gives so much back to the fans because he knows the interview will go around and he just wants to keep giving back," Sue Barker said.
"He is such an amazing role model, both on and off the court. So, haven't we been lucky and privileged to be watching not only him but these amazing years of tennis with these great champions. It's been a joy to watch," she added further.
"Looking forward to next year, I’ll be there too"- Roger Federer on his farewell speech
On Sunday, Team World upset Team Europe to win the Laver Cup for the first time and following their defeat, Roger Federer, one of the co-founders of the tournament, gave one last speech.
The Swiss expressed his gratitude to Bjorn Borg, the captain of Team Europe), and congratulated Team World and their captain on the triumph.
"I had no speech ready, I can say congratulations obviously to Team World," Roger Federer said, adding, "I was very confident going into today but well done Johnny Mac and the rest of team for playing so well today, you deserve it. Have a nice celebration today like I told you."
"It’s been great, been a little bit emotional at times. I recovered, the team has recovered. I hope I didn’t make the team lose but I had a wonderful time and I can’t thank you enough for that. I'd like to thank Bjorn, our captain. You're the king, you know it, I love you," the Swiss legend continued.
Last but not least, the 41-year-old reiterated his intention to attend the Laver Cup in Vancouver the following year.
"Looking forward to next year, I’ll be there too and support both teams from different position," Roger Federer added.
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