Federer holds Nadal's hand on Exit : "It's probably a secret thank you."

In an interview, Roger Federer discusses the feelings associated with saying goodbye at the Laver Cup as well as the prospects for men's tennis. By the way, nobody needs to play like me, he added.

After returning from London, where he finished a whirlwind farewell to his professional career with one final match at the Laver Cup, Roger Federer, who had just announced his retirement, was back in Switzerland on Monday night.

In doubles for Team Europe, he teamed up with his friendly rival Rafael Nadal, but they were defeated by Frances Tiafoe and Jack Sock of Team World, who went on to win the Laver Cup for the first time in five tries.

The real significance of the event was Federer's heartfelt farewell to his friends and family, including his wife Mirka and their four children, as well as his rivals Nadal and Djokovic.

Federer, 41, already held a long-standing reputation as one of tennis's all-time greats, but he decided to continue competing for another 13 years after surpassing Pete Sampras's men's record of 14 Grand Slam singles victories in 2009. At 36, he became the oldest man to hold the top spot in the ATP rankings since they were established in 1973 after winning five additional majors.

His retirement signals the beginning of the end of a heyday in men's tennis where Nadal, Djokovic, and Federer built deep, enduring rivalries that elevated one another and their sport. Despite his longevity and tennis prowess, Federer currently holds the third-place spot in the race for Grand Slam singles titles, trailing only Nadal (22 titles) and Djokovic (24).