‘Of course I’m disappointed’ – Federer feels the pain as Europe suffer first Laver Cup defeat

The
final
event
of
Federer’s
playing
career
veered
off
the
script
as
he
and
Rafael
Nadal
lost
in
doubles
on
Friday
(September
23),
before
the
team
collectively
succumbed
to
a
13-8
defeat
in
London.

Stunning
singles
wins
for
Felix
Auger-Aliassime
and
Frances
Tiafoe
on
Sunday
(September
25),
against
Novak
Djokovic
and
Stefanos
Tsitsipas
respectively,
followed
a
doubles
thriller
that
saw
Auger-Aliassime
and
Jack
Sock
topple
Andy
Murray
and
Matteo
Berrettini.

The
Roger
Federer
saga:
A
perfect
journey
ends

After
Team
Europe
won
the
first
four
editions
of
the
Laver
Cup,
this
time
they
had
to
swallow
the
bitter
pill
of
defeat,
with
Federer
sorry
to
sign
off
on
a
losing
note.

“Of
course
I’m
disappointed,”
he
said.
“I
was
on
the
team.
I
almost
lost
my
voice.
My
hands
hurt
from
clapping.

“So,
yes,
I
am
disappointed.
We
wish
the
result
would
be
different.
I
told
Andy
[Murray]
in
the
locker
room,
I
don’t
like
losing.
It’s
not
fun.
It
just
leaves
not
the
best
taste,
you
know.
I
think
once
you
have
been
there
and
taste
success,
it’s
just
not
the
same.”

“Looking
forward
to
next
year,
I’ll
be
there
too.”

He
may
not
be
playing
but

@rogerfederer‘s
in
for

#LaverCup
2023.

pic.twitter.com/IcjGuU9FYj

—
Laver
Cup
(@LaverCup)

September
25,
2022

He
said
his
goodbye
tournament
had
been
a
mix
of
highs
and
lows.

“This
weekend
has
been
all
over
the
place
for
me,”
said
the
41-year-old
Swiss.
“I
enjoyed
it,
but
it’s
unfortunate
that
we
couldn’t
get
the
win
tonight.”

Federer
denied
he
has
his
eyes
set
on
becoming
the
next
Team
Europe
captain.
Incumbent
skipper
Bjorn
Borg
and
Team
World
counterpart
John
McEnroe
have
indicated
next
year’s
match
could
be
the
last
that
they
helm,
which
would
create
an
appealing
vacancy.

“No
plans
there.
Bjorn’s
doing
a
great
job,”
said
Federer.
“Who
knows,
maybe
one
day,
but
we
don’t
have
any
plans
so
far.”

Next
year’s
match
takes
place
in
Vancouver,
and
Federer
will
certainly
have
a
role
of
some
sort
to
play,
given
he
is
a
co-founder
of
the
event.

Laver
Cup
2022:
Schedule,
Results,
Teams,
Previous
Winners,
Telecast
and
Live
Streaming
Information

“I
went
through
all
different
types
of
Laver
Cups
so
far:
the
first
one,
the
winning
teams,
now
this
time
on
the
losing
team,”
Federer
said.
“There
was
also
one
where
I
was
hurt
last
year
but
seeing
it
more
from
the
stands
and
from
the
fans’ perspective,
and
now
deep
on
the
inside
with
retirement.

“I
have
enjoyed
the
Laver
Cup
in
many
different
ways,
and
next
year
again
will
be
totally
different.
I’m
looking
forward
to
it,
and
I’m
sure
Vancouver
is
going
to
be
fantastic.”

Asked
what
he
would
miss
about
tennis,
Federer
said:
“Not
the
losing
press
conferences,
I
tell
you
that.
They
are
the
worst.”