Roger Federer shares message to fans ahead final match: 'This one feels different'

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Twenty-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer expressed his appreciation to fans attending his doubles match at the Laver Cup in London Friday in what will be the final match of his legendary career.

A nostalgic Federer took to social media to share snaps of himself heading to the O2 Arena, where he will join longtime friend and rival Rafael Nadal on Centre Court for his final match, just a week after announcing his retirement from the sport. 

Roger Federer gestures to the crowd on the first day of the Laver Cup at the O2 Arena, London, Sept. 23, 2022.  (John Walton/PA Images via Getty Images)

"I’ve done this thousands of times, but this one feels different," he said in a tweet. "Thank you to everybody who’s coming tonight."

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Federer announced his retirement last week. While it was a shock for many, questions about his eventual retirement have persisted for a while. 

The last two years of his career have been plagued by injuries. Federer didn’t play in any pro events in 2022 and only competed in 19 matches from 2020-2021. His last tournament title came in 2019 at the Swiss Indoors Basel.

In this Jan. 28, 2020, file photo, Switzerland's Roger Federer waves after defeating Tennys Sandgren of the United States in their quarterfinal match at the Australian Open in Melbourne. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, File)

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Friday will mark the end of his professional playing career when he and 21-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal team up to take on U.S. Open semifinalist Frances Tiafoe and Jack Sock.

Roger Federer of Team Europe