Cheering Crowd Greets Roger Federer Before His Final Match at London's Laver Cup

A crowd at London’s O2 Arena erupted into cheers as Roger Federer walked onto the court at the Laver Cup tennis tournament on Friday, September 23, before playing the final match of his competitive career, according to social media posts.

Federer announced his retirement from competitive tennis on Friday, saying his last match would be his final professional event.

He said, “I am 41 years old. I have played more than 1,500 matches over 24 years. Tennis has treated me more generously than I ever could have dreamt, and now I must recognize when it is time to end my competitive career.”

The Laver Cup reported that Federer partnered with Rafael Nadal. Federer said, “I find it quite ironic that it would be the two of us playing my last match” as the pair were rivals throughout his career.

Video posted by Ana Vazzoler on Friday shows Federer joining Team Europe on the court in London. Credit: Ana Vazzoler via Storyful

Video transcript

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