Rafael Nadal announced Thursday that he will retire from professional tennis after 23 years. The Davis Cup Finals next month will be the last appearance for the 38-year-old legend, who won 22 Grand Slam singles titles in his awe-inspiring career.

“It is obviously a difficult decision, one that has taken me some time,” Nadal said in a video posted to social media. “But, in this life, everything has a beginning and an end, and I think it’s the appropriate time to put an end to a career that has been long and much more successful than I could have ever imagined.”

Discussion of Nadal’s career begins and ends with the French Open, which he dominated throughout his career. The “King of Clay” won the event 14 times, proving just as effective on the surface as a baby-faced 19-year-old in 2005 as he was battling back from injuries in 2022.

Besides the French Open, Nadal won plenty of singles and doubles grand slam titles, as well as two Olympic gold medals. More than any personal accomplishment, however, his rivalries with Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic are likely what will be best-remembered. The Big Three took the tennis world by storm in the 2000s and have incalculably elevated the sport in the two decades since.

The 2008 Wimbledon Final is one of Nadal’s many encounters that are indelibly marked in the sport. Facing down Federer, who had won the event for five straight years, Nadal dueled with the Swiss legend for four hours and 48 minutes, eventually defeating him for his first grand slam title on grass. It is generally considered one of the greatest tennis matches ever played.

While many of Nadal’s run-ins with Federer have earned well-deserved reverence among tennis fans, it’s possible that Djokovic was his true equal. In 60 matches between them, the Serbian holds a 31-29 record against Nadal, who always had a commanding advantage on clay. The pair met in all four grand slam finals, trading victories through their careers.

As Nadal joins Federer in retirement, Djokovic will soon be the last member of the old guard with a new generation stepping forward. Nadal’s accomplishments, alongside his two contemporaries, have inspired those who are following him and will have the same effect on tennis players for generations to come.

Over the weekend, tennis legend Roger Federer delivered a memorable graduation speech at Dartmouth University, captivating the students and a global audience. The 20-time Grand Slam champion opened with a light-hearted nod to his tennis career, drawing parallels between the university’s green colors and his favorite playing surface, grass, where he won eight Wimbledon titles.

Federer, who retired from professional tennis after the 2022 Laver Cup, shared a unique perspective with the graduates. Despite not finishing high school or attending college due to his tennis commitments, Federer connected deeply with the graduates, likening their transition to his current phase of life.

“So I never went to college… but I did graduate recently. I graduated tennis,” Federer said. “I know the word is ‘retire.’ ‘Roger Federer retired from tennis.‘ Retired… The word is awful. You wouldn’t say you retired from college, right? Sounds terrible.”

Federer said, “Like you, I’ve finished one big thing, and I’m moving on to the next. Like you, I’m figuring out what that is. Graduates, I feel your pain. I know what it’s like when people ask what your plan is for the rest of your life. They ask me: ‘Now that you are not a professional tennis player, what do you do?‘ I don’t know… and it’s ok not to know.”

The core of Federer’s speech revolved around three lessons from tennis: “Effortless“ is a myth, it’s only a point, and life is bigger than the court. While drawn from his illustrious career, these lessons were profoundly applicable to the graduates’ futures.

The second lesson, “It’s only a point,“ resonated well. Federer shared a striking statistic: despite winning 80% of his matches, he only won 54% of the points he played.

“When you’re playing a point, it is the most important thing in the world. But when it’s behind you, it’s behind you,” Federer said. “This mindset is really crucial, because it frees you to fully commit to the next point… and the next one after that… with intensity, clarity and focus. The truth is, whatever game you play in life, sometimes you’re going to lose. A point, a match, a season, a job. It’s a roller coaster with many ups and downs. And it’s natural, when you’re down, to doubt yourself. To feel sorry for yourself. And by the way, your opponents have self-doubt, too. Don’t ever forget that. But negative energy is wasted energy. You want to become a master at overcoming hard moments. That, to me, is the sign of a champion.“

The 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer was honored at this year’s Wimbledon at the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club in London, England. The tennis tournament started on July 3, and at a special ceremony the next day, a long ovation awaited the Swiss pro tennis player acknowledging his iconic achievements.

The patron of the All England Tennis Club, the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, accompanied Federer in the Royal Box in front of 15,000 fans on Centre Court. Federer’s wife, Mirka Federer, along with his parents, his coach and his agent were also present at the event.

This was his first time back in this venue ever since he retired last year, as he passed Pete Sampras‘ men’s record of seven titles with his last win as an eight-time Wimbledon champion. The 41-year-old won five successive Wimbledon titles between 2003 and 2007, then won again in 2009, 2012, and 2017.

As one of the greatest male tennis players of all time, also just in general, Federer’s ovation lasted a few minutes as he received a guard of honor in the United Kingdom. While he didn’t speak, fans got to see a nostalgic video montage on the big screen of his Wimbleton wins from 2003 to 2017, and after, the announcer thanked him for the memories he has provided Wimbledon fans over the years.

Federer was also one of several former champions honored at the 2022 tournament in a ceremony honoring 100 years of Centre Court. Seven-time women’s singles champion Serena Williams was invited to this year’s tournament but was unable to travel due to her pregnancy.

Having spent 310 weeks as world number one with 103 ATP titles, Federer was there to witness Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina opening her title defense and winning against the American Shelby Rogers in the women’s single match.

Roger Federer announced Thursday morning that he is retiring from singles tennis competition after 24 years on the ATP Tour. The Laver Cup in London next week, beginning on Sept. 23, will be his final professional appearance.

In an audio clip posted on social media, Federer cited age-related limitations for his decision to retire. The 20-time Grand Slam winner has suffered several injuries in recent years, some of which have required surgery.

“I am 41 years old. I’ve played more than 1,500 matches over 24 years,” Federer said. “Tennis has treated me more generously than I ever would have dreamt, and now I must recognize when it is time to end my competitive career.”

Following his ATP debut in 1998, Federer’s breakthrough came in 2003 when he won his first Grand Slam at Wimbledon. He went on to win on the grass in London in six of seven years between 2003 and 2009 while compiling multiple wins in the U.S. Open and Australian Open as well.

A win at the French Open proved elusive, as Federer lost to Rafael Nadal in three straight finals between 2006 and 2008. But in 2009, he defeated Robin Söderling in the final to earn his sole title on the Paris clay.

In addition to his 20 Grand Slams, the most recent of which came at the 2018 Australian Open, Federer appeared in 10 Tour Finals, winning six of them. Representing Switzerland at the 2012 Olympics, he won the silver medal in men’s singles competition and a gold medal in doubles with partner Stan Wawrinka.

As a key member of one of the greatest generations of men’s tennis, along with players like Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, Federer helped popularize tennis for new fans in highly competitive events between some of the best players to ever step foot on the court. In his announcement, he said that he never suspected he could have such a prolonged impact on the game.

“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.”

In next week’s Laver Cup, Federer will compete for Team Europe, along with teammates Djokovic, Murray, Nadal, Casper Ruud and Stefanos Tsisipas. They will face off against Team World, featuring the likes of Taylor Fritz and Frances Tiafoe. It should be a fitting sendoff for a tennis legend.

Novak Djokovic announced Tuesday that he will compete at the Australian Open after receiving a medical exemption from getting vaccinated against COVID-19, ending speculation over his three-time title defense.

The world No. 1 previously said that he was unsure whether he would compete at the opening Grand Slam event—January 17-30 in Melbourne—due to concerns over the country’s quarantine rules.

“I’ve spent fantastic quality time with my loved ones over the break and today I’m heading Down Under with an exemption permission. Let’s go 2022,” he said on Instagram.

Participants must be vaccinated against COVID-19 or have a medical exemption granted. They issued a statement later Tuesday to confirm Djokovic will be allowed to compete.

“Djokovic applied for a medical exemption which was granted following a rigorous review process involving two separate independent panels of medical experts,” the statement said.

“One of those was the Independent Medical Exemption Review Panel appointed by the Victorian Department of Health. They assessed all applications to see if they met the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunization guidelines.”

Tennis Australia said in December that the panel would consist of doctors from the fields of immunology, infectious disease and general practice.

Djokovic pulled out of the Serbia team for the ATP Cup in Sydney to raise further doubts over his participation in Open.

“I’m ready to live and breathe tennis in the next few weeks of competition. Thanks everyone for the support,” Djokovic added in his post.

Djokovic has won a record nine Australian Open titles, including the previous three, and is in a tie at 20 majors with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on the all-time list.

Rafael Nadal has ended his 2021 tennis season early because of a left foot issue. The tennis legend cannot partake in this month’s US Open because of the left foot issue that has been troubling him for a year.

Nadal, who is ranked fourth in the world, suffered an early exit in Washington this month, where he kicked off his leadup to the final Grand Slam of the year.

Nadal’s left foot issue flared up at the French Open, and he lost to eventual champion Novak Djokovic. Just last week, Nadal pulled out of Masters 1000 event in Toronto because of his left foot.

“I wanted to inform you that, unfortunately, I have to end the 2021 season,” Nadal tweeted in Spanish.

“Honestly, I have been suffering much more than I should with my foot for a year, and I need to take some time to find a solution to this problem or at least improve it to continue to have options for the next few years,” Nadal said. “I’m with the maximum enthusiasm and predisposition to do whatever it takes to recover the best possible shape to keep competing for the things that really motivate me. I’m convinced that with the recovery of the foot and obviously a very important daily effort … this can be achieved. I will work as hard as I can to make it happen.”

Nadal’s rival and fellow 20-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer withdrew from the US Open and is sidelined for months because he needs knee surgery.

Tennis star Roger Federer will undergo foot surgery that will leave him out of play for months.

“I’ve been doing a lot of checks with the doctors, as well, on my knee, getting all the information as I hurt myself further during the grass-court season and Wimbledon,” the 40-year-old said in an Instagram post Sunday.”

“Unfortunately, they told me for the medium to long-term, to feel, better, I will need surgery, so I decided to do it,” Federer said. “I’ll be on crutches for many weeks, and then also out of the game for many months so, it’s going to be difficult of course in some ways, but at the same time, I know it’s the right thing to do because I want to be healthy, I want to be running around later as well again.”

The tennis star missed more than a year of action after having two operations on his knee after the Australian Open in 2020. He returned for the 2021 French Open but withdrew after his third-round win to protect his knee. He then lost in the quarterfinals in Wimbledon. Following his Wimbledon loss, he withdrew from the Tokyo Olympics after announcing an injury setback with his knee.

The US Open will begin on Aug. 30 and will run through September 12 in New York.

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Novak Djokovic made a permanent mark on the history of professional tennis in his win at Wimbledon, marking his 20th major title – tying him with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

“They have helped me to realize what I need to do in order to improve to get stronger mentally, physically, tactically. When I broke into the top 10 for the first time, I lost for three or four years most of the big matches that I played against these two guys and something shifted at the end of 2010 and the beginning of 2011. The last 10 years has been an incredible journey that is not stopping here,” Djokovic said about the two fellow tennis legends.

Djokovic certainly has the stat sheet to be considered the greatest player ever. He is the only man to defeat Federer three times at Wimbledon, and the only one to best Nadal twice at the French Open. He has held the number one ranking in the ATP more weeks than any other player and is the only person to win all nine Masters 1000 men’s singles titles (he’s done this twice).

Pete Sampras held the record for grand slam titles before this trio, winning 14. “If you would have asked when I walked off with 14 majors if three guys would pass me in the next 15 to 19 years, I would have said, no way,” Sampras said in a recent interview with Christopher Clarey.

The record is bound to be broken by one of these three players. The advances in recovery technology, nutrition, equipment and more have given longevity to many players’ careers that would otherwise be quite rare. While Nadal and Federer seem to age, though, the 34-year-old Djokovic seems to still be in his prime.

Djokovic has acknowledged the history on the line in his next major tournament. He has reiterated, though, that he tries to focus on the task at hand – sound play and winning individual games that give him the chance for tournament victories.

Djokovic has a chance at history in the U.S. Open, the last slated major for the year – he has won the previous three majors this circuit.

Novak Djokovic made a stunning run to win the French Open on Sunday for just the second time in his career. However, he had an equally heartwarming moment when he gifted the tennis racket he used during the match to a young fan eagerly watching and admiring the tennis great.

After being pushed to the brink of elimination in the championship, Djokovic stormed back and won in a best-of-five sets match. Following his electrifying victory, Djokovic shook hands with his competitor before heading over to the crowd, where he found a young boy and gave him the racket he had just used to defeat opponent Stefanos Tsotsipas. Stunned, the boy began crying tears of joy over such a meaningful piece of equipment being gifted to him by a living legend in the sport of tennis.

In the press conference following his exit from the court, Djokovic stated that he did not know the young boy, but that the child had been so loudly supportive during the match that he felt a need to reward him in some way.

While Djokovic was running on fumes during the championship, the extra spark he needed came from this unlikely source. With the win (facilitated by the young boy), Djokovic is now just one Grand Slam tournament victory away from 20, a record dually held by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. The victory might be a good omen for Djokovic, though, as it was his seventh since he became 30 years old – the most anybody that age or older has won.

Djokovic will have a chance at history at the next Grand Slam event, Wimbledon, which is slated to begin on June 28.

Roger Federer was victorious in his French Open match on Monday against Denis Istomin. This 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 victory marked his return to Grand Slam tennis after a slight absence. His reinstatement comes after two knee surgeries which caused him to miss most of the 2020 season. Federer entered the tournament as the eighth seed and was the champion of the tournament in 2009.

“What a pleasure to be back,” said Federer. “Overall I’m very happy [with my movement], I can attest to that, as well. I moved pretty well today. I also kept rallies short purposely so I wouldn’t get dragged into long rallies. Always throw in the drop shot. We’ll see what happens.”

This was Federer’s fourth match and third tournament of the year. He debuted in Geneva and Doha at ATP 250 events, where he claimed two victories and one defeat. His defeat was at the hands of Pablo Andujar, who was ranked 75th internationally. Istomin was ranked 204th in the world, which is the lowest spot of anyone Federer has played against this year.

Federer took down Uzbekistan’s Istomin quite handily, extending his win streak over him to eight. Federer did not face a break point in the contest. He also won 80 percent of his points after converting his first serve. Additionally, he won 15 of 19 points off of his second serve. Federer recorded 48 winners in the match, 15 of which occurred in the first 22 minutes. He even attempted a between-the-legs shot (also known as a “tweener”) but was unsuccessful as he hit the ball out of play. The all-time great was very successful when serving and volleying, winning 79 percent of his net points (19 of 24). The crowd at Court Phillipe Chatrier, although limited to 1,000 people, showered Federer with applause

“I just felt overall much clearer, much better,” Federer said. “Clearly also maybe the type of opponent allowed me to have many different ways to win the point. I knew if I came to the net, that was an option. Hitting a drop shot was always an option. Taking the ball early was an option,” reflected Federer.

His victory moves him to the second round of the French Open, as he looks for another win in his Grand Slam return. Federer will face Croatian Marin Cilic, who defeated Arthur Rinderknetch in the first round 7-6 (6), 6-1. 6-2.

Cilic is currently ranked 47th in the world and will face Federer for the 11th time. Federer has won nine of the 10 meetings between the two athletes, however, Cilic has won all nine matches he has played in 2021. It will be difficult for Cilic to extend his 2021 win streak against one of the best players to ever take the court. Cilic’s lone victory against Federer came all the way back in 2014, when the Croatian ousted the all-time great from the US Open semi finals. Their last meeting came in the finals of the 2018 Australian Open. Federer won that match in a hard-fought five-set contest 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 3-6, 6-1. Wednesday’s contest will be the duo’s first matchup against each other in the French Open.

It has been three years since the two competitors have faced off. Cilic will be looking for the second-round upset in what should be a great match between the 39-year-old Swiss and the 32-year-old Croatian.

Novak Djokovic has surpassed Roger Federer for consecutive weeks atop of the rankings as the number one ranked player in the world. Djokovic has now spent 311 weeks in a row as the top rated player in men’s tennis.

Federer held the record for being on top of the rankings for 310 straight weeks. However, Djokovic’s victory at the Australian Open last month ensured that he would beat the record. After breaking the record, the 33-year-old tennis pro said, “It really excites me to walk the path of legends and giants of this sport.” In a statement about breaking the record, he remarked, “To know that I have earned my place among them by following my childhood dream is a beautiful confirmation that when you do things out of love and passion, everything is possible.”

The Serbian tennis player has turned his focus to breaking another record, the record for most Grand Slam victories in men’s tennis singles history. So far, the record is shared by Federer and Rafael Nadal. Both men have 20 Grand Slam titles. Djokovic has 18 titles so far, but he is still young and in the prime of his career. He has a very good chance at surpassing Federer and Nadal, but you never know in tennis. Nadal and Federer surely won’t give up the record easily.

Novak Djokovic has equaled Roger Federer’s all-time record for most weeks as ATP world number one on Monday, after remaining on top for 310 consecutive weeks. In addition, Djokovic’s recent ninth Australia Open title win guaranteed that he would surpass Federer’s record on March 8.

This allowed the Serbian tennis player to add another milestone to his long illustrious career. Most importantly, it allowed Djokovic to equal his fellow rival Federer. Djokovic and Federer along with Rafael Nadal make up what is known as the “big three” because of their dominance in professional tennis. The three have dominated the Grand Slams for the past 20 years. Federer and Nadal have each won 20 Grand Slam titles while Djokovic has won 18.

The Serbian tennis player seeks to change that and said that he would look to make overhauling Federer and Nadal’s joint-record of 20 Grand Slam titles his top priority. The 33-year-old said, “Now, after achieving the historic number one for the longest weeks at number one, it’s going to be a relief for me because I’m going to focus all my attention on Slams mostly.”

The Serbian has earned his fifth stint atop the world rankings. The 33-year-old recently reclaimed the top spot from fellow rival Nadal last year. Additionally, the tennis player finished as the year-end number one for the sixth time, tying Pete Sampras’ record.

Twenty-time tennis Grand Slam champion Roger Federer announced on Wednesday that he will be missing the remainder of the 2020 season due to injury.

In a post on Twitter, the 38-year old Federer said that he is getting a procedure done on his right knee, and plans on taking as much time as he needs before returning to action, but expects to be back for the start of the 2021 season.

In 2016, Federer missed the remainder of the season with a similar injury, but in his left knee, where he did not play until the 2017 Australian Open, which he went on to win.

The timeless 37-year-olds in Roger Federer and Serena Williams prove to defy time for yet another year. Both players have been cruising through the early rounds of the Wimbledon, as Federer beat Matteo Berrenttini, the 17th seed in the round of 16, while Williams beat 30th seed Carla Suarez Navarro to advance to the quarterfinals in the tournament.

It has been 15 years since the first time that Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal faced off against each other at the 2004 Miami Open. On Friday, the two men who have won more Grand Slam titles than anyone else in tennis history will square off for the 39th time in their historic rivalry on Court Philippe-Chatrier at the French Open in Paris.

For tennis fans around the globe, this meeting holds special significance. Not just because this is Federer’s first appearance at Roland Garros in four years, and not because this is a Grand Slam semifinal, but with Federer being 37 and Nadal 33, we do not know how many more times these all-time rivals will face one another. On Friday, let’s take a moment to appreciate what could very well be the final installment of one of the greatest competitive rivalries that sports (not only tennis) have ever witnessed.

“If I came back to play on clay, it must have been to play Rafa,” -Roger Federer

Winning 20 Grand Slams is a tremendous, unprecedented feat in tennis history. To think not too long ago, Pete Sampras’ then-record of 14 Grand Slam titles seemed like an almost impossible feat to even consider breaking. As of 2019, three players (Federer, Nadal, and Novak Djokovic) have all broken it. For Federer especially, with his career seemingly in the twilight portion, he has no time to get complacent and dream about retirement. Nadal (17 Grand Slam titles) and Djokovic (15 Grand Slam titles) both stand seemingly leaning over Federer, breathing down his neck. For as long as Roger Federer can still play at a high level, it is imperative that he keeps winning Grand Slams to try and create as much distance between himself and his challengers as possible. For Federer, though, the challenge will not get any easier on Friday.

Nadal leads the all-time head to head against Federer 23-15, including 13-2 on clay, and 5-0 at Roland Garros. “If you want to do something on the clay, inevitably at some stage, you will go through Rafa, because he’s that strong and he will be there”, Federer said to reporters on Tuesday. “I knew that when I signed up for the clay, that hopefully, that was going to happen. If I would have had a different mindset to avoid him, then I should not have played on clay.”

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One thing that Federer has going for him in his rivalry against Nadal is that Federer has won now six consecutive meetings against the Spaniard dating back to Basel in 2015. Nadal has not won a match against Federer since the 2014 Australian Open semi-finals. Of the six consecutive victories for Federer, none have been larger than their epic five-setter in the 2017 Australian Open final.

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That Grand Slam final, which rejuvenated a Roger Federer who had not won a Grand Slam since Wimbledon in 2012, is but a distant memory in 2019. At his press conference on Tuesday, Nadal said when asked about his approach to playing against Federer on the red clay in 2019:

“I really expect that he’s going to play aggressive, changing rhythms going to the net, because he’s playing well, and he has the tennis to make that happen.”

He continued: “I have to be solid. I have to hit the ball strong enough to not allow him to do good things from good positions. I need to let him play from difficult positions, so from there he’s going to have less chances to go to the net or to play his aggressive game.”

This quote all but confirms just how closely Rafael Nadal has been watching his oldest rival’s game, despite it being two years since the pair last met in the 2017 Shanghai Final. For Federer, in anticipation for his match against Nadal, has decided to practice with left-handed hitting partners exclusively. On his approach to playing Rafa, Federer said, “I have played five guys now that are righties, so for me it’s a complete switch around.  Just the way the ball goes out of your strings with the different spins.”

He continued: “It’s just different. So you have to get used to that quickly. Don’t have much time to waste. That’s why you have to be fearless to some extent to take on the spinny balls, the sliding balls, the kicking balls. And that’s what I will do on Friday.”

Will Federer’s aggressive, offensive approach finally earn him a win against Nadal on the red clay of Paris? Or will Nadal’s forehand once again stump Federer like we have seen it do so often in their past meetings? Whatever the outcome, Federer vs. Nadal XXXIX should prove to be another thrilling installment in the twilight of tennis’s two most dominant players in the history of the sport.

Roger Federer hadn’t played a clay-court season in three years. That changed on Sunday when the Swiss nabbed his 101st career title at the Miami Open. While most 37-year-olds can’t think of playing professionally, for Federer, a World No. 1 title is still in reach.

Federer Wins 4th Miami Open Title

However his 6-1,6-4  takedown of John Isner, the world No. 10, at the new Hard Rock Stadium, hints that there’s still some left in the tank. To pull in his 28th ATP Masters 1,000 title overall, and his first at that level since Shanghai in 2017, was impressive.

After a disappointing fourth-round exit at the hands of rising Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas at the Australian Open, it seemed like his star was falling quickly. However, he turned things around after that. In the wake of the exit, he reached three straight finals, won two events, and became the first and still the only man to win more than one title this year.

It took him just over an hour to brush off his American competition. In doing so, he closed the gap on Jimmy Connors’ all-time trophy record to eight. However, he said walking away from the tournament with a win might be “the perfect scenario.” He added, “But as I don’t know what the situation is for next year, I can’t say that. I hope to be back next year, but if I don’t come back ever again, you know, this is a good end, anyhow.”

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With the victory, Federer also guns for Serbia’s Novak Djokovic and his No. 1 ranking in the Race to London. That pushes him to No. 4 in the regular ATP rankings, where Djokovic still holds pole position.

That’s not to say that Federer hasn’t benefited from luck. Rafael Nadal missed Miami with a knee injury that also prevented him from taking on Federer in the semifinals at Indian Wells, and Djokovic suffering early losses at both. With those two out of the way, it takes a lot of stress off and generally makes for an easier path to victory.

While already being the top-paid tennis player, avoiding clay courts has cost him points in the last two years. In these next two months, he could make up for that discrepancy and push for a No. 1 ranking.

Roger Federer sustained a shocking loss to 20-year-old Greek rising tennis star Stefanos Tsitsipas in the fourth round of the Australian Open on Sunday, and many are now left wondering what’s in store next for the Swiss great.

Federer Gets Personal, Cries In New Interview

The 37-year-old 20-time grand slam champion opened up about his past and future career and more in an interview with CNN before his 6-7 (11-13), 7-6 (7-3), 7-5, 7-6 (7-5) defeat to 14th-seeded Tsitsipas.

Federer has not reached a grand slam semifinal since the 2018 Australian Open — a tournament he won — which has led many fans to wonder if he will retire soon. Seven-time grand slam winner John McEnroe, 59, said after Tsitsipas’s win over Federer that the moment marked a “changing of the guard,” something that unsurprisingly vexed the Swiss.

When asked by CNN Sport’s Christina Macfarlane earlier this month about the prospect of defending his title in Melbourne, Federer said, “Am I confident? I don’t know, I feel good.”

“I’ve been training really well and have had another great season this year, [I’m] still happy playing and I won the last two Australian Open editions, so yeah: I definitely should be going in there with confidence,” he added. “I love playing in Australia, in Melbourne.”

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Federer also fondly recalled his relationship with late Australian coach Peter Carter, and couldn’t hold back tears when discussing Carter and the tremendous influence he had on his life and career. Carter died in a car crash while on his honeymoon in South Africa in August 2002, just days before his 38th birthday.

The legend explained how Carter discovered him when he was a young boy playing in his native Basel, Switzerland.

“Peter was a really important person in my life because I think if I can say ‘thank you’ for my technique today, it’s [due to] Peter,” said Federer.

“I hope he would be proud,” Federer added of Carter, his voice breaking after Macfarlane asked him what he believes his former coach would say to him if he saw him today after winning 20 grand slam titles. “I guess he didn’t want me to be a wasted talent. I guess it was somewhat of a wake-up call for me when he passed away, and I really started to train hard.”

Federer also said he feels like he was really fortunate to have “the right people at the right time” in his life, including his tennis coaches.

The U.S. Open is entering its second week, with the lat set of first-round matches scheduled for Tuesday.

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Rafael Nadal, who won this year’s French Open, is the defending champion. Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic took the other two Grand Slam tournaments this year: the Australian Open (in January) and Wimbledon, respectively.

This year’s U.S. Open will mark the final Grand Slam to count 32 seeds. Starting in 2019, the tournament will have just 16 seeds. Top-seeded Nadal and second-seeded Federer, who is now 37, are both considered favorites to win at Arthur Ashe this year. Djokovic is the sixth seed.

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Nadal and Djokovic are also coming off recent title victories at the Rogers Cup in Toronto and the Cincinnati Masters, respectively. Djokovic defeated Federer in straight sets in the final at Cincinnati. Among the other players who could advance to the late stages in this year’s U.S. Open are Andy Murray and 2016 champion Stan Wawrinka.  

Federer will next play 22-year-old Japanese competitor Yoshihito Nishioka on Tuesday at 7 p.m. EST, while Nadal will face Canadian Vasek Pospisil in the second round on Wednesday. Djokovic will play Hungarian Márton Fucsovics on Tuesday at 1:15 p.m. EST, while Murray will play No. 31-seed Spaniard Fernando Verdasco on Wednesday. Wawrinka will also play on Wednesday against 20-year-old Frenchman Ugo Humbert. 

On the women’s side, American youngster Sloane Stephens is the defending champion. This year, she is the third seed and will next face Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina in the second round on Wednesday after beating Russian Evgeniya Rodina 6-1, 7-5 on Monday. No. 17-seed Serena Williams crushed Polish 26-year-old Magda Linette 6-4, 6-0 on Monday and will next face 23-year-old German Carina Witthöft on Wednesday.

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The women’s top seed this year, Romanian 26-year-old Simona Halep, crashed out of the U.S. Open on Monday after losing 2-6, 4-6 to unseeded Estonian Kaia Kanepi. 

All main-court games will air on ESPN and ESPN2, although some matches will air on ESPN+, the network’s new subscription-based streaming service.

Here is the full schedule for the tournament, which ends Sept. 9:

Source: sbnation.com. 

Roger Federer crashed out of Wimbledon on Wednesday following a 2-6 6-7(5) 7-5 6-4 13-11 quarterfinal loss to South African Kevin Anderson. 

Roger Federer Eliminated From Wimbledon

The 36-year-old Swiss, who was the top seed at the tournament this year, won the first two sets but 32-year-old Anderson, the No. 8 seed, rallied to advance to the last four, where he will meet ninth-seeded American John Isner on Friday.

Federer was seeking his ninth Wimbledon trophy. He had last played at Centre Court in 2015. On Wednesday, he wasted a match point in the 10th game of the third set and after five sets, four hours and 14 minutes, Anderson earned the victory.

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Wednesday’s game marked one of the largest upsets at All England Club this year, particularly since Anderson had never before won a set against Federer in any of the other four matches the pair played.

The other men’s semi-final on Friday will see No. 2 seed Rafael Nadal face 12th-seeded Novak Djokovic. 

On the women’s side, Serena Williams reached her 10th Wimbledon final after eliminating 13th-seeded German Julia Gorges with a straight-sets (6-2, 6-4) victory. Williams, who is seeking her eighth Wimbledon title, will face 11th-seeded German Angelique Kerber, the World No. 10, in Saturday’s final.

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Should 36-year-old Williams win on Saturday, the victory would mark the 23-time Grand Slam champion’s first title win since becoming a mother. She would also tie Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slam singles trophies. Williams also has a chance to surpass Steffi Graf for second place on the list of female Wimbledon winners, behind only nine-time winner Martina Navratilova.

Kerber and Williams previously met in the Wimbledon final in 2016, when the latter player won.

Rafael Nadal, the world’s top-ranked player, defeated Israel’s Dudi Sela at Wimbledon on Tuesday to advance to the tournament’s second round.

Rafael Nadal Advances To Wimbledon Round 2

Nadal — who is the No. 2 seed in London this year behind Roger Federer — beat Sela, the World No. 127, 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 in his first match since winning the French Open in June.

The 32-year-old Spaniard will next play Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Kukushkin or Canadian Vasil Pospisil.  

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According to BBC Sport, Nadal had not prepared for Wimbledon this year by playing on grass for any warm-up games.

Nadal finished with three aces against Sela’s five, while each player committed four double faults. However, Nadal won six break points versus only one for the Israeli.

“It doesn’t matter how you win or get there, but for the body, it’s better in straight sets,” said the Spaniard, according to The Telegraph. 

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Federer, an eight-time Wimbledon champion, also reached the second round by defeating Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic 6-1, 6-3, 6-4 in the opening stage. Federer will next face Slovak Lukas Lacko. 

On the women’s side, 25th-seeded Serena Williams beat the Netherlands’ Arantxa Rus 7-5, 6-3 in her opening match to advance to round 2, where she will play 23-year-old Bulgarian Viktoriya Tomova.

Fans have been wondering if Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, will make an appearance at Wimbledon. Seven-time winner Williams is reportedly close friends with the new member of the British royal family. Williams, 36, attended fellow American Markle’s wedding to Prince Harry in May. People magazine reported that over the weekend, Markle and Williams went on a “double date” with their husbands at a polo game in Ascot, England.

Williams stressed in her press conference that she wants to ensure she gets to spend as much time as possible with her infant daughter.