Ciao Roger - A farewell almost without tears, right?
That Roger Federer's official retirement is not in the too distant future is something I've been saying with conviction for three or four years now, isn't it? Nevertheless, the news on Instagram caught me on the wrong foot - and I briefly felt so connected to the grand seigneur of world tennis that I had a tear in the corner of my eye.
His last match was quite a while ago, wasn't it. On 7 July 2021 it was exactly (I had to look it up, didn't I) in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon. A three-set loss to Hubert Hurkacz of Poland. Looking back, that doesn't sound so exhilarating as the last competitive match, does it. On the other hand, playing your last match on the Tour at your favourite tournament, the place of your greatest successes and some of the most memorable matches in tennis history, doesn't sound so bad, does it? Besides, the Laver Cup is still to come. Now that the whole world knows it's his final farewell performance, the maestro will be celebrated once again in grand style, won't he
?
Federer's Palmares and his record will of course now be celebrated up and down the world and through all the media, right. I will therefore attempt a slightly different, tongue-in-cheek eulogy.
All eyes on Roger Federer
In his official retirement statement on Instagram, Roger Federer thanks all those people who have accompanied him through his career, supported him and believed in him
.
And this - I imagine - is how these people have seen Roger Federer over the past up to 24 years:
Mirka
Since the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Roger has been Prince Charming to Mirka.
Children
What else could a dad be but (at the very least) Superman - and playmate - to his children.
Parents
No matter how big, old or global superstars children become, for parents they always remain "their baby."
Sister
Boxing bag, role model, playmate - a big brother can be many things, but above all a constant companion.
Coach
Whoever was the oldest number 1 in the world rankings at 36 and was still working on his comeback at 41 probably only knows "beast mode". Although he never described himself as a world champion in training.
Swiss Tennis
Without wanting to hurt anyone's religious feelings, Swiss Tennis can no longer see Roger Federer as anything other than THE saviour, at least since his first Grand Slam title in 2003.
Current team
No question who was the alpha dog in Roger's wolfpack, is there?
Sponsors
I know as little as anyone about exact figures. But the return on investment should have been okay for Roger's sponsors.
Opponents
The (sheer) invincible Titan (okay, a much more sympathetic Titan than Marvel supervillain Thanos) Roger was for his opponents for years.
Fans
Roger does love the Swiss mountains. But not because of that, his fans see him as Geiss. But because for them he is the GOAT (Greatest of all times).
That's what Roger Federer has been in the eyes of so many people over the past 24 years.
And that's probably how most of these people have felt since the retirement announcement:
They are desperately trying to hold back the tears ...
.. Until they remember that Roger himself never held back his tears - and let go.
Globetrotter, hiker, wok world champion (not in the ice channel), word acrobat and photo enthusiast.