Matteo Berrettini was in London for Roger Federer‘s retirement at the 2022 Laver Cup.
Federer hoped to come back from a knee injury but had to accept that it wasn’t possible.
The decision to retire happened in the summer, and his last event was the Laver Cup. Berrettini, part of Team Europe, recalls how emotional it was.
Rafael Nadal cried, Federer cried; it was a night full of emotions. Berrettini remembers Federer telling them how much he wished he could keep playing but couldn’t.
Federer’s Emotional Farewell:
“When I was in London [last year] busy celebrating Roger Federer’s last match, he was crying because he was sad about leaving something that he loved so much, and was telling us: ‘You guys have no idea how lucky you are, that you can keep playing. I would give a lot to just be able to play one more match, have one more win, one more important tournament. So keep enjoying, keep striving, because this is the best sport ever and you’ve got to enjoy it.'”
For Berrettini, who grew up watching Federer play tennis , this moment hit hard. It made him think deeply about his own career and love for the game despite his injuries.
Fans might feel really touched by these words from Federer.
“And I think that’s when I really understood the power of loving what you do. That it’s in the bad moments and the good moments; it’s just enjoying the ride – I’ve tried to do that since.”
What do you think about Federer’s farewell?
