#roger federer

[formulaocean]

You challenged me in ways no one else could…made me reimagine my game…secretly I kind of loved the whole thing…because it was so unique-it was so you…you made me enjoy the game even more (OK maybe not at first)…in your red sleeveless shirt, showing off those biceps, and you beat me convincingly…it wasn’t just hype…our journey…we ended up taking together…I keep thinking about the memories we shared…wearing each other out…having to hold each other up…I’m still grateful you invited me…I didn’t want to miss it…it meant everything to me that you were there by my side…not as my rival but as my doubles partner…sharing the court with you that night and sharing those tears…we will talk when it’s done…your old friend is always cheering for you…best always, your fan.

Everyone pack up post retirement sports RPF fics Roger Federer just set the gold standard.

[zingaplanet]

Your old friend is

always cheering for you.

[alexturntable]

never thought I’d see the RF logo in the Spanish flag colors but here we are

[rafasbiscuits]

being a fedal fan means we dont need to read fics, we just read real life articles about them. (and things they say about each other like... publicised love letters)

[firstservepercentage]

guys the r/tennis discussions are getting out of hands

[iamsigningmylifeaway]

NOT ROGERS GAY ASS LETTER MAKING THE TRENDING😭😭

[formulaocean]

Has anyone asked perpetual third wheel Novak Djokovic how he feels about Roger Federer saying Rafael Nadal challenged him in ways no one else could btw.

[internalweepingmentality]

iirc someone else lost their last singles match, their last doubles match and their team event when they retired

[zingaplanet]

This retirement was, dare I say it--...a bit too humble? Nothing to blame from Rafa's side, he is as he always is, very generous and dedicated to tennis and the Spanish team, he feels lucky just being able to retire on court with his teammates and as he mentioned many times in the presser, he wants the focus to be on the spanish team and not on him.

This is such an amazing display of selflessness, as usual, but it might've undermined his last chance to enjoy time on court. Perhaps it was his wish not to have any mega farewell at all, but he insisted on focusing on the team so much that he might not have been able to fully claim his retirement night as his, the way so many athletes who retire on singles might, and even the way Federer did, by doing it in an exhibition and allowing everyone to zoom in on him without anything major at stake.

Maybe nobody anticipated Spain to lose in the first round? It could also be that ITF is not in on the usual mega retirement party thing ATP is keen on. My guess is some players might not even have had the chance to arrive yet (Novak explicitly said he'd come) because even Andy had bigger farewells on his SECOND retirement ceremony in wimbledon and Fed and Novak tried so hard to be there. Players are generally not involved at all in their own retirement celebrations - so it's a bit of a shame that the organiser took Rafa's humbleness too literally and not churn out a better ending for one of the best athletes of the sport.

This whole retirement saga has been quite chaotic and disatisfying. I guess it does make sense, Rafa is a person who embraces practicality and doesn't believe in perfect/ideal things. Federer, as much as he wants to deny it, did plan his sendoff perfectly. It's the ongoing contrast between the two, but even at the end of their career they stayed true to themselves.

The plus side tho is he did get to retire in Spain, with his Spanish teammates, speaking Spanish, which is a very fitting ending for someone who loves his country wholeheartedly and has always felt proudest playing for spain.

[alexturntable]

Roger’s message for Rafa

[rafasbiscuits]

all the support for Rafa! ❤️💛

[vadergf]

Roger's retirement post for Novak:

[firstservepercentage]

happy retirement rafa

[loveisparpall]

rafa’s pinned posts. A CHOICE.

[internalweepingmentality]

“Secretly I kind of loved the whole thing”

girl, you’d make a shit secret agent cause we ALL knew