What happened the last time Roger Federer played against Novak Djokovic & Rafael Nadal?
Roger Federer announced his surprise retirement from tennis on Thursday. Know what happened when he last faced Novak Djokovic & Rafael Nadal on the court.
20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer took the tennis world by storm on Thursday after announcing his retirement from the sport, at the age of 41. Having last played on court, during the Wimbledon Championships 2021, Federer was expected to return to tour later this year, but will now bid farewell to the sport at Laver Cup 2022 in London. He is considered to be one of the ‘Big Three’ of tennis in Men’s Singles, alongside 22-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal and 21-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic.
Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon 2021 semi-final
The Nadal vs Federer rivalry is one of the biggest rivalries in the sport, as both players encountered a total of 40 times in their career. Federer played his last match against the Spainiard during the Wimbledon Championships 2021. Federer memorably picked up a 7-6, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 win in the semi-final of the grand slam tournament. In their long-running rivalry, Nadal went on to win 60% of the matches by picking up 24 wins against Federer.
Roger Federer vs Novak Djokovic at Australian Open 2020
Meanwhile, the Djokovic vs Federer will be also remembered as one of the most iconic rivalries in tennis. Nadal and Djokovic played a total of 50 matches against each other in their careers. Federer played his last match against Djokovic at the Australian Open 2020 semi-final, where the latter won by 7-6 (1), 6-4, 6-3. Djokovic won 54% of matches against Federer by winning a total of 27 matches.
Federer is now set to bid adieu to his celebratory professional tennis career, which lasted for over two decades. He turned professional in 1998 and became the world no. 1 ranked player on February 2, 2004. He went on to become one of the biggest legends of the sport by winning a total of 103 titles, which included 1251 wins and 275 defeats in his career.
Roger Federer announces the bittersweet decision of retirement
“This is a bittersweet decision, because I will miss everything the tour has given me. But at the same time, there is so much to celebrate. I consider myself one of the most fortunate people on Earth. I was given a special talent to play tennis, and I did it at a level that I never imagined, for much longer than I ever thought possible,” Federer said in his statement announcing retirement.
“When my love of tennis started, I was a ball kid in my hometown of Basel. I used to watch the players with a sense of wonder. They were like giants to me and I began to dream. My dreams led me to work harder and I started to believe in myself. Some success brought me confidence and I was on my way to the most amazing journey that has led to this day. So, I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart, to everyone around the world who has helped make the dreams of a young Swiss ball kid come true. Finally, to the game of tennis: I love you and will never leave,” the Swiss legend added.
