Roger Federer teams up with Rafael Nadal in doubles for 'wonderful' farewell at Laver Cup

Swiss great will play the final match of his career in London on Friday

Swiss great Roger Federer at a training session ahead of the Laver Cup tournament at the O2 in London on Wednesday, September 21, 2022. Federer announced he will retire from tennis this week. AP

Roger Federer train for the Laver Cup - the final tournament of his career - in London on Wednesday. AP

Roger Federer chats with Cameron Norris of Great Britain during a training session in London. AP

Roger Federer trains for the Laver Cup in London, which will be his last tournament before retiring from professional tennis. EPA

Roger Federer during training ahead of the Laver Cup in London. EPA

Rod Laver and Roger Federer of Team Europe ahead of the Laver Cup at the O2 Arena in London. Getty

Roger Federer during practice session at the 02 Arena, London. The 20-time grand slam champion announced last week that he would bring his professional tennis career to a close after the Laver Cup that starts in London on Friday. Picture date: Wednesday September 21, 2022.

Roger Federer trains in London. AP

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will team up in doubles at the Laver Cup on Friday in what is set to be the Swiss great's final match of a long and illustrious career.

The 41-year-old Federer will play competitively for the last time in London, turning out for Team Europe alongside Nadal, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic – the three biggest rivals of his 24-year career.

Federer, who has won 20 Grand Slam titles, has struggled with knee injuries in recent years and multiple surgeries finally took their toll.

The order of play released by the organisers for the opening day of the tournament – founded by Federer’s management company – showed the Swiss great and Nadal will play the last match of the evening at London's O2 Arena against the American pair of Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe.

Federer and Nadal will pair up for Team Europe against the Team World duo of US Open semi-finalist Frances Tiafoe and Jack Sock.

“I'm not sure if I can handle it all but I'll try,” said Federer. “This one feels a whole lot different. I'm happy to have him on my team and not playing against him.

“Playing with Rafa feels really different. To be able to do it one more time, I'm sure it will be wonderful and I'll try my very best. I'll enjoy it but it will be very hard.”

Nadal said he was looking forward to an unforgettable doubles pairing with Federer.

“One of the most important, if not the most important players in my tennis career is leaving,” the Spaniard said on Thursday.

“At the end, this moment will be difficult. I'm super-excited and grateful to play with him.”

They have played each other 40 times in all, with Nadal winning 26 times. The Spaniard came out on top in their classic 2008 Wimbledon final, considered by many the greatest match in history; while Federer won their last showdown, in the 2019 semi-finals at the All England Club.

The singles matches at the Laver Cup will be two-time Grand Slam runner-up Casper Ruud against Sock, and 2021 French Open finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas against Diego Schwartzman during the day session, and three-time major champion Murray against Alex de Minaur at night, before the Federer-Nadal doubles match.

Italian Matteo Berrettini, the first alternate for Europe, will take Federer's place over the weekend.

Federer hasn’t competed in singles or doubles since a quarter-final loss at Wimbledon to Hubert Hurkacz in July 2021.