is known for his elegant style of play, for his longevity, for his 20 Grand Slam titles B次元官网网址� and for occasional tears in his most emotional post-match moments, whether after victory or defeat.

There was none of that sort of sadness Wednesday, just smiles and some chuckles at his own jokes, as Federer appeared at a news conference to discuss his at age 41 after a series of knee operations. He will close his career with a doubles match at the Laver Cup on Friday B次元官网网址� perhaps alongside .

Federer said he is now at peace with the decision to walk away, which comes a few weeks after Serena Williams played what is expected to be her last match at the U.S. Open, and he wants this farewell to be a celebration.

B次元官网网址淚 really donB次元官网网址檛 want it to be a funeral,B次元官网网址� Federer said. B次元官网网址淚 want it to be really happy and powerful and party mode.B次元官网网址�

Wearing a blue blazer with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and a white polo shirt, Federer took questions for about a half-hour at the arena that will host the team competition founded by his management company.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 nervous going in, because I havenB次元官网网址檛 played in so long,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 hope I can be somewhat competitive.B次元官网网址�

Federer, who announced last week via social media that he would be retiring after the Laver Cup, said it took him a bit to get used to the idea of stepping away from competition.

But it was something he understood he needed to do after running into setbacks in July during his rehabilitation from what was his third surgery on his right knee in about 1 1/2 years.

B次元官网网址淵ou try to go to the next level in training, and I could feel it was getting difficult. B次元官网网址� Then, I guess, I was also getting more tired, because you have to put more effort into it to be able to sort of believe that it was going to turn around. You start getting too pessimistic. Then I also got a scan back, which wasnB次元官网网址檛 what I wanted it to be,B次元官网网址� Federer explained. B次元官网网址淎t some point, you sit down and go, B次元官网网址極K, we are at an intersection here, at a crossroad, and you have to take a turn. Which way is it?B次元官网网址� I was not willing to go into the direction of: B次元官网网址楲etB次元官网网址檚 risk it all.B次元官网网址� IB次元官网网址檓 not ready for that. I always said that was never my goal.B次元官网网址�

And the hardest part came when he knew he needed to stop.

B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檙e sad,B次元官网网址� Federer said, B次元官网网址渋n the very moment when you realize, B次元官网网址極K, this is the end.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�

The last procedure on his knee came shortly after a quarterfinal loss to Hubert Hurkacz at Wimbledon in July 2021, which will go into the books as the last singles match of a superlative career that began in the 1990s and included 103 tournament titles, a Davis Cup championship for Switzerland, Olympic medals and hundreds of weeks at No. 1 in the ATP rankings.

In his last week, Federer referred to retirement as a B次元官网网址渂ittersweet decision.B次元官网网址�

He was asked Wednesday what aspect was most bitter and what was most sweet.

B次元官网网址淭he bitterness: You always want to play forever,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 love being out on court. I love playing against the guys. I love traveling. B次元官网网址� It was all perfect. I love my career from every angle.B次元官网网址�

And then he added: B次元官网网址淭he sweet part was that I know everybody has to do it at one point; everybody has to leave the game. ItB次元官网网址檚 been a great, great journey. For that, IB次元官网网址檓 really grateful.B次元官网网址�

He will play doubles for Team Europe against Team World on Day 1 of the event, then will give way to 2021 Wimbledon runner-up Matteo Berrettini for singles over the weekend. That plan was run by the ATP and both team captains, John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg, Federer said.

As for his doubles partner for the last hurrah? Federer would not say definitively B次元官网网址� he said thatB次元官网网址檚 up to Borg B次元官网网址� but the not-so-hidden secret is that it is expected to be Nadal, who holds the menB次元官网网址檚 record of 22 major championships.

Back in February, when word emerged that Federer would be in London this week, he said Nadal messaged him last year suggesting they play doubles together again. They teamed up to win a doubles match during the first Laver Cup in 2017.

B次元官网网址淚f weB次元官网网址檙e able to possibly share the court one more time as a doubles pairing,B次元官网网址� Nadal said in February, B次元官网网址渢hen this would be a truly special experience for us both at this stage in our careers.B次元官网网址�

While other contemporaries of Federer and stars of the sport are on Team Europe, such as 21-time Slam champ Novak Djokovic and three-time major winner Andy Murray, the Federer vs. Nadal matchup will go down in history as among the greatest rivalries in tennis or any other sport.

They played each other 40 times in all (Nadal won 26), with 14 Grand Slam matchups (Nadal won 10). Nadal came out on top in their classic 2008 Wimbledon final, considered by some the greatest match in history; Federer won their last showdown, in the 2019 semifinals at the All England Club.

B次元官网网址淚t could be quite, I donB次元官网网址檛 know, a unique situation, if it were to happen,B次元官网网址� Federer said about the doubles pairing. B次元官网网址淔or us, as well, to go through a career that we both have had and to come out on the other side and being able to have a nice relationship, I think, is maybe a great message, as well, to not just tennis but sports and maybe even beyond.B次元官网网址�

As for his future?

The father of two sets of twins B次元官网网址� girls 13, boys 8 B次元官网网址� wouldnB次元官网网址檛 say exactly what he has planned, other than a vacation, but he did say he would remain connected to tennis in some capacity.

Recalling the way Borg stayed away from the sport for years after retiring, Federer sought to reassure his own fans by saying: B次元官网网址淚 wonB次元官网网址檛 be a ghost.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址擧oward Fendrich, The Associated Press