Roger Federer’s wife shares touching moment with Djokovic and Nadal
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Footage has emerged showing Roger Federer’s wife sharing a heartfelt hug with both Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal as the 20-time Grand Slam champion ended his career at the Laver Cup. Federer’s biggest rivals were by his side as part of Team Europe as he bowed out of professional tennis after playing one final doubles match in London’s O2 Arena on Friday night.
Federer announced that he would be retiring at the Laver Cup a week before the team tournament began, with this year’s edition also marking the first time that the Big Four would all be joining forces to represent Team Europe. The 41-year-old hadn’t played since Wimbledon 2021 and was able to get through one last doubles match with Nadal before officially hanging up his racket.
The pair lost to Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe in the early hours of Saturday before the 103-time title winner was joined by his family and teammates as he said goodbye to his 24-year career. After moving scenes saw ‘Fedal’ crying together and Federer consoling his tearful children, footage has now emerged showing Federer’s wife Mirka hugging Nadal and Djokovic during the emotional night.
Federer’s wife of 13 years joined her husband and Team Europe on the court and could be seen embracing the 41-year-old’s long-time rivals as they celebrated his career. The day after the emotional ceremony, both Djokovic admitted how much it meant to see Federer with his family during his farewell.
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“I think I can speak on my own behalf of what got me the most emotional is when his children came up and I saw them tearing up,” Djokovic said after beating Team World’s Frances Tiafoe on day two of the tournament. “Sorry Roger, I don’t want to tear you up again but it’s a very nice moment and it’s very nice to see Roger’s parents here in London and his family, Mirka, kids.”
Federer wasn’t the only one who had his family there for his farewell, as Nadal’s dad and sister also travelled to London to wave off one of the Spaniard’s biggest rivals. And the 41-year-old opened up on the bond between his and Nadal’s families after he played his final match alongside the world No 3.
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“Just also having Rafa’s family here this weekend shows that this is not just, ‘Okay, Rafa is coming here to play and nobody cares of his surrounding team’, you know,” he said after ‘Fedal’ lost in a match tiebreak. “I can feel their passion, I guess, for me, who I am as a person. That obviously resonates big with me.
“I think he feels the same way when he sees my parents, my children, my wife, everybody. That is a nice thing.”
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