You take it out of the structures, do your own thing. As soon as it has identified the talent, it becomes a project. The entertainment industry of sport sees talent as a resource and a capital investment. Athletes’ biographies are increasingly created outside the federation, outside society. At a young age, they are sent to academies and camps, which are talent factories. In times of professionalisation, young athletes are often treated like investments – especially in sports where there is a lot to earn, like tennis. The great German footballer Philipp Lahm added to the pile with this thoughtful column in today’s Guardian.įederer’s career path forms a stark contrast to the present. The tributes have poured in from all over the world in the eight days since Federer announced his retirement. From there Nadal holds, winning the last two points on a couple of unforced errors by the Americans. And that one is saved too when Sock nets a forehand. An electric rally covering every inch of the court follows, maybe the point of the match, and Sock ends it with a backhand winner for a sixth break-point chance in this game, which is now past the 10-minute mark. A fifth break chance follows moments later, but Tiafoe can’t handle a Nadal’s forehand missle and we’re back to deuce. An untimely Nadal double fault then gives Sock/Tiafoe a fourth look at a break, but Federer erases it with a forehand winner. A forced error pushes Federer/Nadal to the brink of the game, but Tiafoe hits a sizzling forehand winner for deuce number two. The Federer/Nadal team saved the first and second on a couple of forced errors, then the third when Sock frames a forehand on the approach and sends it past the baseline. The opportunity widens after Tiafoe punds a backhand winner for love-30, then further still after winning the next exchange for love-40 and triple break point. Nadal falls behind love-15 on his serve on a sharp return by Tiafoe. Second set: Federer/Nadal 6-4, 6-5 Sock/Tiafoe* (*denotes next server) I wanted it to feel like this at the end and it’s exactly what I hoped for. It’s been a pleasure, playing all these Laver Cups. And then of course, being on the team with Andy, Thomas, Novak, Mateo, Cam, Stefanos, Rafa and Casper and also the other team: you guys are unbelievable. So thanks to everybody who made it work for so many years. I’ve had a team that traveled with me for around the world. I feel great, but to be saying goodbye as a team – I always felt I was a team player at the heart – but singles doesn’t really do that a whole lot. “It felt lonely for a second when they told me to go out, or you wanted me to come out one more time. “I didn’t want it to feel lonely out there,” he says. He’s asked how special it was to finish playing alongside the other greats of his era: Djokovic, Murray and Nadal. And of course, playing with Rafa on the same team and having the guys – everybody here, all the legends – Rocket, Edberg, Stefan, thank you.” And funny enough, with all the matches and having the guys being here – fans, family, friends – I didn’t feel the stress so much, even though I did think in the match. “It feels great to be here,” Federer says. And just everybody, too many people to thank. So thanks to my parents, you have been amazing. He continues, barely able to form sentences at this point through the tears: “I find it always funny that we always blame my mom for everything, because without her, I wouldn’t be here of course. She kept me going and allowed me to play. She could have stopped me a long, long time ago, but she didn’t. I’ve had so much fun over the last 13 years. Everybody’s here tonight from my family, so it’s great. In my vision I was never able to talk, so I’m doing way better. “We have to go there?” he says, jokingly. And you guys here tonight, it means the world.”įederer is then asked about how much his family’s support helped him along the way, and that’s when the waterworks really open up. I was just happy to play tennis and spend time with my friends, really.” Asked to reflect on his journey from junior champion to grand slam champion to sporting icon, he says: “It was never supposed to be that way. “It’s been perfect journey, I would do it all over again,” Federer says. 24 Sept 2022 02.03 CEST Federer: 'It's been a perfect journey'
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