Roger Federer will retire at the Laver Cup this weekend, ending his glorious career after failing to recover from a long-time knee injury. Roger has been struggling for almost three years, undergoing three surgeries and failing to compete injury-free.
We recently found out that Federer did not feel well even at Wimbledon 2019, despite reaching his 31st and last Major final. Roger had a massive chance to claim the 21st Major title, outplaying Novak Djokovic and having two match points on serve in the decider.
Still, the Swiss squandered his chances and experienced a 7-6, 1-6, 7-6, 4-6, 13-12 in four hours and 57 minutes. Roger’s coach Ivan Ljubicic believes his pupil would not retire had he won the title, still feeling competitive and eager to extend his career.
Federer won 14 points more and delivered four extra breaks in comparison to Djokovic. Roger delivered 40 winners more than Novak and had those two match points on his serve and two break chances on the return at 11-11 in the final set.
It was not to be for the Swiss, as the Serb overcame all the obstacles to grab all three tie breaks and emerge at the top in a historic battle. Novak saved match points at 7-8 in the final set and produced the nerves of steel to celebrate the 16th Major crown.
Djokovic failed to create a break point in the opening three sets, and he still led 2-1 after securing both tie breaks! Federer sprayed six errors in the third set tie break and bounced back with a better performance in the fourth to force a decider.
Novak saved those two match points on the return at 7-8 and prevailed in game 23 to stay in touch and introduce the first-ever deciding match tie break in the Wimbledon finals.
Roger Federer will retire this week in London.
Djokovic claimed it 7-3 to wrap up the title and one of his most extraordinary victories ever.
Federer hit the last ball in 29 out of 33 points in all three tie breaks combined, leaving Novak on three winners and one forced error! On the other hand, an eight-time champion counted six service winners and five from the court.
He spoiled all that with massive 13 unforced mistakes and five that Novak forced. Like in the rest of the encounter, tie breaks were on Roger’s racquet, but he failed to deliver his best tennis when it mattered the most, spraying 17 errors more than the steady Serb and finding himself on the losing side.
“Roger never looked for a reason to retire and stop playing. He has always wanted to compete, winning or losing; it’s his life. There were painful losses, like the finals at Wimbledon 2019 and the US Open 2009. Also, he could have lost to Tommy Haas at Roland Garros 2009 and changed history.
I believe Roger would not stop had he won Wimbledon three years ago. He was still competitive, and he never looked for a reason to quit,” Ivan Ljubicic said.
