LONDON—Sitting courtside Rafa Nadal cried as his great rival, Roger Federer, bid an emotional farewell to tennis at the Laver Cup on Friday, later saying an important part of him was also leaving the men’s Tour with the retirement of the Swiss.
Pictures and videos of Federer and Nadal—who shared one of tennis’s most enthralling rivalries—crying together after combining for Team Europe in a doubles defeat at London’s O2 Arena went viral on social media, leaving their legions of fans highly emotional.
Nadal, who has won a men’s record 22 Grand Slam singles titles, said it was a difficult night for him emotionally as the defeat to the American pair of Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe marked the end of the 41-year-old Federer’s dazzling career….