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Roger Federer’s iconic status highlighted by adoration from his peers
The Swiss legend's opponents have offered some emotional farewell messages.
Casper Ruud, Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, Thomas Enqvist and Bjorn Borg look on as European teammate Roger Federer addresses the crowd at last week’s Laver Cup in London. Picture: Getty Images
The value he brought to the sport has been made clearly evident not only by the adulation he has received from his fans and the media, but even more importantly from the players Roger Federer faced during his remarkable career.
Federer was so good, and so well liked, that even the men who couldn’t beat him have said they are going to miss him.
And all the fuss, of course, is for good reason.
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Federer was the first of a trio of stars who emerged in the same generation, with Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic ultimately dominating their rivalry in recent years.
And while in some ways his peers have climbed above him in terms of career results, the 41-year-old Swiss icon paved the way to what became an enthralling battle between the three players.
Glittering career
Just in terms of results, he looks back on a glittering career which saw him spending 310 weeks at the top of the world rankings.
He won 103 ATP singles titles, including 20 Grand Slam crowns and a record six ATP Tour Final titles, and he lifted the Wimbledon trophy eight times.
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He struggled with injuries in the latter stages of his career, and he last won a Grand Slam in 2018, so he hasn’t retired anywhere near the top of his game, but that won’t count against him much.
A gentleman who served as a great ambassador for his sport, Federer received glowing praise from around the world before and after he played his last competitive match at the weekend, most notably from some of the sport’s current and former global stars.
It is one thing to become a world-beating phenom in any sport, but remaining popular among your peers while dominating is even more challenging.
It’s a mark of the character of the man that Federer’s opponents have made it clear how much he will be missed on court by offering some emotional farewell messages.
As one of the legends of the game, it is clear his presence will always be appreciated by the global tennis fraternity, and hopefully he will stick around to continue playing a role in one form or another.
