Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
Roger Federer returned to the Laver Cup on Friday.
CNN
—
After just over a year since him emotional retirement from professional tennis, Roger Federer says he lived a “beautiful, intense life.”
The 20-time grand slam champion was speaking at this year’s Laver Cup in Vancouver, Canada, on Friday, where he has been opening for the past 12 months.
While sitting on court for an interview with former American tennis star Jim Courier, Federer joked that he has become a “professional driver” for his four children, “an organizer and a logistics person so it’s definitely a test on a whole other level.”
But, at the same time, Federer said that “he misses everything about the game, the exciting moments spent on the court, the break points saved, winning match points, holding trophies, walking to fans, taking selfies.”
Federer’s illustrious career of more than 1,500 matches, 103 singles titles and 20 grand slams ended last year, while he was playing a doubles match with his longtime friend and rival Rafael Nadal at the Laver Cup.
Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
Federer was on court for the coin toss before the doubles match between Arthur Fils and Andrey Rublev of Team Europe and Tommy Paul and Frances Tiafoe of Team World.
He reflected on that memory Friday, recalling that it was a “beautiful” farewell to his professional tennis career, according to the Laver Cup website.
“It’s perfect, it’s emotional, there’s the right suffering that goes on when I talk to you,” he added.
Nadal even appeared via video during the interview, naively asking Federer to reveal his favorite doubles partner, and the Swiss great obliged by saying “Rafa can have it.”
Friday also marked the first day of this year’s Laver Cup where Team World took a 4-0 lead over Team Europe with singles wins for Ben Shelton, Francisco Cerundolo and Felix Auger-Aliassime. There was also a doubles win for Frances Tiafoe and Tommy Paul.