La city dawned gray. The London sky wept with emotion and turned the weather into a parallel to the reality of a historic friday september 23. The day that Roger chose to say goodbye, his most special day -I don’t know if the saddest- and the hardest for his fans.
From Geneva to Mexico passing through Tokyo, Buenos Aires or Madrid. Fans from all over the world wanted to accompany their idol. Swiss flags, the commemorative cap of the Federer brand, the Laver Cup shirt or a pair of jeans. Each one attended the appointment as he wanted, or as he could. The only common link was the “morria”, that feeling of nostalgia that leads you to remember the good times and dream that they may come back, even though you often know that it is impossible.
They all wanted to say goodbye. Lorenza traveled 9,000 kilometers from Mexico to try to get a ticket, but she could not. Carlos, however, spent almost 800 euros on the resale. Even the writer was offered a ticket for 1,500 euros less than half an hour before the start of the night session with Murray – De Minaur.
Had no problem getting in Roger’s number one Spanish fan: David Broncano, who attended the match invited by Rafa and announced in MARCA that if one day Federer goes to La Resistencia “he will be received like a Roman emperor.” Those who did have to show resistance -and patience- were the fans who wanted to see their idols train. More than an hour in line for 30 seconds of live rallying.
Beyond the training track, the surroundings of the O2 Arena looked like a small amusement park. Food trucks, small tennis courts, giant screens… The Laver Cup circus as a garnish for the main theme: the farewell of one of the best tennis players in history, the key moment of an event that he promoted five years ago and that he has been chosen to put an end to his career. In his second home, London. The city that, as we have been able to verify, loves him, respects him and saw him win 8 Wimbledon.
