Roger Federer final match: Live score, updates, highlights and reaction from Laver Cup doubles with Rafael Nadal

Roger Federer plays his final professional tennis match on Friday, September 23 at the Laver Cup 2022.

More than 24 years on from his Tour debut, when he lost to Lucas Arnold Ker at the 1998 Rado Open, the Swiss great will bow out of the ATP circuit after playing in the doubles on the first day of this year’s Laver Cup tournament.

It looks set to be a wonderful send-off for the 20-time major champion, who will partner long-time rival Rafael Nadal for Team Europe against Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe of Team USA.

The Sporting News is providing live updates and highlights of Federer’s final match.

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Roger Federer live score, highlights from 2022 Laver Cup

All times BST

*Denotes server

Federer/Nadal* 6-4 3-3 Sock/Tiafoe: It’s gone strangely flat at the O2 Arena. Team World challenge a Nadal serve, Hawk-Eye shows it’s in, but Sock thinks the mark on the court shows it’s out. They get back to 40-30, but Sock slaps a return into the net. Momentum is back with Team Europe. Djokovic is back on the bench, and Andy Murray has joined him.

Federer/Nadal 6-4 3-3 Sock/Tiafoe*: BREAK! Things are really hotting up! Nadal puts away an overhead between the red shirts but Tiafoe plays a good point for 15-15. He then loses a forehand exchange with the 22-time major champion, and then double-faults for 15-40. Nadal keeps the first break point alive off the backhand, and the umpire penalises Tiafoe for hitting the ball twice at the net and awards the game to Team Europe! Tiafoe isn’t happy with the call, and you’ll be astonished to learn that John McEnroe is talking to the umpire as well. A contentious moment, but we’re back on serve.

Federer/Nadal* 6-4 2-3 Sock/Tiafoe: The rally of the match! Drop shots and volleys are exchanged with gusto, Nadal sprints after the ball and almost, almost clips a blind backhand winner around the post. Tiafoe sprints to the other side of the court to shake his hand for the attempt. There’s a sniff of a second break at 15-30, but the men in blue hold firm. Djokovic has stepped away for a moment, so Matteo Berrettini has taken over as chief coach, speaking in Spanish to Nadal and English to Federer.

Federer/Nadal 6-4 1-3 Sock/Tiafoe*: Apparently cross with that previous point, Federer, back out early from the change of ends, goes right after Sock’s serve from the off. Nadal pulls a forehand wide but a brilliant reach has Sock scampering and he can only slap the ball into the net. Sock and Tiafoe dither over a ball, but Nadal and Federer do the same, and it’s deuce! Sock then gifts another break point but Federer, running around a forehand on the second serve, blasts his shot long with an anguished cry. Two volleys get Team World over the line.

Federer/Nadal* 6-4 1-2 Sock/Tiafoe: BREAK! Sock wins an exchange at the net with Federer and Nadal whips a forehand wide. Tiafoe then rips a return to the Nadal forehand, Djokovic-style, and it’s suddenly 0-40. Nadal puts a forehand behind Tiafoe and follows with an ace, but Federer’s next volley is long. Team World get the break.

Federer/Nadal 6-4 1-1 Sock/Tiafoe*: It takes a lot to throw Tiafoe off his stride — he’s considered one of the nicest and most positive players on the Tour — but he’s just let his levels drop here, and Nadal is punishing him. A great baseline exchange between the two ends with a stunning Nadal volley to make it 15-30. But with the pressure mounting, Sock smashes a Nadal return and Tiafoe follows an ace down the tee with an unreturnable serve.

Welcome to the blue wall.@rogerfederer x @RafaelNadal #LaverCup | @eurosport pic.twitter.com/s5PqamHCbq

— Laver Cup (@LaverCup) September 23, 2022

Federer/Nadal* 6-4 1-0 Sock/Tiafoe: Federer and Nadal hold serve to start the second set, but Nadal almost lost his head, quite literally: Tiafoe’s rasping forehand of nearly 95mph had the Spaniard ducking near the baseline. They all found the funny side.

Federer/Nadal 6-4 Sock/Tiafoe*: TEAM EUROPE WIN THE FIRST SET! That’s a lovely shot from Nadal, spinning a forehand out of Tiafoe’s reach. Sock then throws himself at a Federer return, but he makes a rare mess of a volley, and it’s deuce. Nadal’s return clips the line and Federer dispatches an easy volley to bring up set point, and Federer takes charge: his forehand is too hot for Sock, who nudges a volley into the net.

Leaving it all out there.@RafaelNadal and @rogerfederer take the opening set against Sock/Tiafoe, 6-4.#LaverCup pic.twitter.com/eEF8hVus3N

— Laver Cup (@LaverCup) September 23, 2022

Federer/Nadal* 5-4 Sock/Tiafoe: What a backhand from Sock! He crashes a return winner behind Federer to level the scores at 30-30. Tiafoe gets after the Nadal backhand and the ball ends up in the net for the first break point of the night, but Nadal finds a first serve and Federer smashes a winner. Another good Federer volley fends off the break chance.

Federer, Nadal and Djokovic are now discussing the latter’s suggestion of forcing Tiafoe to “play an extra shot”. The rest of Team Europe are standing and listening in quiet awe, like dumbstruck schoolboys on a placement at CERN.

Federer/Nadal 4-4 Sock/Tiafoe*: Sock serves up a double fault with the new balls, but two loose returns from Europe follow. Federer can’t get a Tiafoe smash back in play, and Tiafoe settles the game with a quite lovely sliced volley right along the length of the net. He enjoyed that.

Shirts off for Fedal. #LaverCup | @usopen | @cameroncheers pic.twitter.com/D8NGhBiP7E

— Laver Cup (@LaverCup) September 23, 2022

Federer/Nadal* 4-3 Sock/Tiafoe: Tiafoe blasts a shot right at Nadal at the net, which didn’t thrill the Spaniard. Federer steps forward and sends a smash down the middle for 40-15, but follows that up with a tame forehand into the net. He then exchanges some forehands with Sock, Nadal and Tiafoe get into a game of cat-and-mouse at the net, and Team Europe gets the game. “It’s unbelievable, when you don’t play doubles, how slow you are at the net!” says Nadal.

Federer/Nadal 3-3 Sock/Tiafoe*: Nadal reads it well but sends another volley into the base of the net, allowing Team World to move to 40-15. The Americans stop to challenge after Nadal sends a return deep… and long. Very, very long. It’s 3-3.

Federer/Nadal* 3-2 Sock/Tiafoe: Nadal’s been serving well early on here (if we ignore the opening double fault). Sock gets a good read on one at 30-15, though… and Federer smacks a forehand volley into the open court. Brilliant reactions. As they head to the chairs, Djokovic proclaims: “A Swiss wall there, man!”

Federer/Nadal 2-1 Sock/Tiafoe*: A pretty strange moment at game point: Federer’s forehand clipped the inside of the net post and landed in the court. Somehow, his shot went right through a gap between post and net — I’m not sure anyone else could have found it! A Sock return goes long and the game is Europe’s, and they’re having a good laugh about it.

There’s a first for everything 👀#LaverCup | @rogerfederer pic.twitter.com/ToNEwy0lId

— Laver Cup (@LaverCup) September 23, 2022

Federer/Nadal 1-1 Sock/Tiafoe: Team Europe gets off to a decent start. Nadal gets us underway with a double fault but they dig themselves out of trouble. As Team World moves to 30-15, Federer puts Tiafoe under pressure with a forehand but Nadal’s volley is wide. An ace from the American levels the score.

10.05 p.m.: The players come out to a tumultuous roar. Federer already looks emotional. Djokovic just filmed the moment on his phone. This is going to be quite a night.

Please welcome to the black court, Team Europe’s @rogerfederer and @RafaelNadal. #LaverCup pic.twitter.com/lnX3hOTMQc

— Laver Cup (@LaverCup) September 23, 2022

10 p.m.: Federer spoke of his wish to see out his 24-year professional career with a doubles match alongside long-time rival Rafael Nadal, and Team Europe captain Bjorn Borg obliged. It should certainly make for a sensational atmosphere inside the venue tonight: there was something truly special about watching Federer, Nadal and Novak Djokovic cheering on Murray just now, so this next match could be off the scale.

All eyes on teammate @andy_murray.#LaverCup pic.twitter.com/NSJAZx9cNR

— Laver Cup (@LaverCup) September 23, 2022

9.50 p.m.: So, here we go: Roger Federer, in a professional tennis match, for the final time. We’ve had a long wait for this one tonight at the O2 Arena in London, with Andy Murray’s epic match with Alex De Minaur having only just finished. The Australian got the win in the tie-breaker, meaning Team Europe’s lead stands at 2-1.

MORE: Watch Laver Cup matches with fuboTV (free trial, U.S. only)

Laver Cup 2022 schedule

All times are subject to change.

Who is playing at the Laver Cup 2022?

Bjorn Borg is the captain of Team Europe 2022, with Thomas Enqvist as vice-captain. John McEnroe is captaining Team World 2022; Patrick McEnroe is his deputy.

Team Europe: Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Casper Ruud, Matteo Berrettini (alternate)

Team World: Taylor Fritz, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Diego Schwartzman, Frances Tiafoe, Alex de Minaur, Jack Sock, Tommy Paul (alternate)

MORE: Laver Cup 2022 prize money: How much do winning teams and individuals earn?

How to watch the Laver Cup 2022