On the night of 23 September 2022, Roger Federer walked onto the black court at London's O2 Arena for the last match of his career. He played doubles for Team Europe alongside his longest rival, Rafael Nadal. The Swiss lost, and it did not matter.
A last match at Nadal's side, decided past midnight
Federer and Nadal came out of the tunnel together, each in a white bandanna and blue shirt, and the crowd stood for almost ten minutes. Fans waved Swiss flags and held signs reading "Idol Forever," roaring when Federer struck a forehand volley winner on the second point.
The match ran more than two hours against Frances Tiafoe and Jack Sock of Team World. It ended near half past midnight, the pair falling 4-6, 7-6 (2), 11-9, the crowd chanting his name through the final games. Afterwards his wife, four children and parents joined him on court, and both teams lifted him into the air.
Twenty majors, forty duels, one shared farewell
Federer retired at 41 with 20 Grand Slam titles, 103 singles trophies and 1,251 match wins, second only to Jimmy Connors in the Open era. At his peak he reached ten straight major finals and won eight of them.
He and Nadal had met 40 times, including 14 at Grand Slams and nine in major finals — a rivalry set beside Borg-McEnroe in the sport's history. That he chose to end not across the net from Nadal, but beside him, closed the story with a quiet symmetry.
"It's been a perfect journey. I would do it all over again," Federer told reporters. "I enjoyed tying my shoes one more time."
The knee that had carried him through three operations would go no further. A career of nearly a quarter-century ended where his first titles were won, in London, under a full house that would not sit down.
