Andy Roddick is the latest to give his thoughts on Roger Federer’s new documentary, actually offering his personal insight into those fateful final 12 days of his career.
Everyone who followed tennis at the time likely has a story about where they were when the 20-time Grand Slam champion made his final appearance in a professional tennis match, but Roddick’s is made all the more poignant given their shared rivalry.
He has since admitted to the emotional outpouring that the moment evoked before opening up on his new relationship with Federer outside of tennis.
Andy Roddick recalls Roger Federer’s retirement
Speaking on his Served with Andy Roddick podcast, he could not comb over the week’s tennis without commenting on Federer’s new documentary: ‘Federer: Twelve Final Days’.
And whilst the focus was unsurprisingly on that grand Laver Cup finale, in which the Swiss superstar was pictured hand in hand with a tearful Rafael Nadal, Roddick sought to give his version of events, as he watched it.
He recalled: ‘My memories of that, one of the moments that caused me actual human tears was just Rafa [Nadal] flying in for a doubles match just to play with Roger [Federer], to be a part of the goodbye. Them literally sitting on a bench, the whole world watching, it’s as if no one was there. Just crying out of respect for each other and out of respect for their outsized presence in each other’s lives.
‘That meant so much to me, I had to go on air on TC live right after that and I almost didn’t make it through the show it was very hard. I think they’re both gems of humans.
‘As much as I joke about Roger, him kicking my ass, light-hearted, we have a friendship that will live on forever. We still check in. He has done many many things outside the lens of the camera, for me, charity events, different things here and there. Just always an extremely thoughtful, present person.’
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal’s relationship, both personal and professional, is one which has transcended the sport.
Andy Roddick did not have much luck against Roger Federer
It is quite heartwarming that Roddick and Federer clearly share quite a nice friendship despite the numerous battles the two have waged against one another on the court.
In fact, their 24 meetings is the 14th-most in ATP history, yet the American won just three times against the 42-year-old.
The fact that he was clearly good enough to overcome most of his peers, but not quite good enough to consistently defeat one of the greatest of all time, is a fair indicator of where he stood within the tennis world.
Roddick was a fine tennis player, with an explosive serve and the ability to dictate matches.
However, Federer was in a league of his own, as is evidenced in that aforementioned documentary.
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