Retiring Roger Federer eyes fitting farewell alongside Rafael Nadal at Laver Cup

Roger Federer will bring the curtain down on his illustrious career with a doubles match in London on Friday night – and he hopes it will be alongside Rafael Nadal.

Federer, the 20-time grand-slam champion and arguably the greatest male player of all time, announced last week that he will retire after competing at the Laver Cup.

Having admitted defeat in his ongoing battle with a knee injury, the 41-year-old will play one final doubles match at the Ryder Cup-style team competition at the 02.

And he offered up a tantalising prospect for tennis fans across the world, one last hurrah with his oldest and greatest rival, Spain’s 22-time major winner Nadal.

“Of course. No doubt,” Federer said at a packed press conference at the 02. “I mean, I think it could be quite a unique situation, if it were to happen, for as long as we battled together to having always had this respect for one another, the families, our coaching teams, we always got along really well.

“For us as well to go through a career that we both have had and to come out the other side being able to have a nice relationship, I think, is maybe a great message as well to not just tennis but sports and maybe even beyond.

“For that reason I think it would be great. I don’t know if it’s going to happen, but I think it could be obviously a special moment.”

Federer will have to circumnavigate the rules of the tournament which was his brainchild, as all competitors have to play at least one singles match rather than just doubles.

"I'm really looking forward to the next few days."@rogerfederer is speaking to the world's press ahead of his final competitive event#LaverCup pic.twitter.com/2fatxzll31

— Laver Cup (@LaverCup) September 21, 2022

Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe, the