One of the greatest sportsmen of all time, Roger Federer brought an end to his illustrious tennis career on Friday. He paired up with long-term rival Rafael Nadal in the Laver Cup doubles event, drawing curtains to his career in a unique manner.
While Federer was understandably emotional on the occasion as he bid adieu to the game, even Rafael Nadal was seen weeping throughout the Swiss maestro’s speech after the Laver Cup match. The impact of the duo’s emotional pictures on social media can be understood by the fact that even Indian cricket icon Virat Kohli couldn’t prevent himself from speaking about the occasion.
Taking to Instagram, Kohli posted a picture of Nadal and Federer while calling it “most beautiful sporting picture ever for him”.
Who thought rivals can feel like this towards each other. That’s the beauty of sport. This is the most beautiful sporting picture ever for me. When your companions cry for you, you know what you’ve been able to do with your god given talent. Nothing but respect for these 2. @rogerfederer @rafaelnadal,” Kohli wrote on Insta.
Nadal looked equally emotional as Federer on the occasion, as if he himself was visualising the day he will hang his boots. With injuries and fitness issues troubling him consistently over the last few years, fans fear that such a day might not be too far away.
An emotional Nadal said on the occasion: “For me, has been a huge honour to be a part of this amazing moment of the history of our sport, and at the same time a lot of years sharing a lot of things,” the Spaniard said of Federer.
“When Roger leaves the tour, yeah, an important part of my life is leaving too because all the moments he has been next or in front me in important moments of my life. So has been emotional (to) see the family, see all the people. Yeah, difficult to describe. But, yeah, amazing moment.” he added.
Though Federer has called time on his professional career as a player, he has pledged to not become a ‘tennis ghost’.
