費達拿回憶告別戰感動瞬間 與拿度手牽手「給他一個秘密的感謝」
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撰文：顏銘輝出版：2022-09-28 15:44更新：2022-09-28 15:45讚好550000
費達拿（Roger Federer）在上周五（23日）利華盃後告別職業網壇，他場上瀟灑的英姿
、場下激動的淚水，還有跟拿度（Rafa Nadal）那種男人浪漫的交流，仍深深刻入每位球
迷的記憶中。費達拿周一離開倫敦回到瑞士，當晚接受《紐約時報》記者的電話訪問。經
過兩日的沉澱，他說起利華盃的畫面及拿度。
負責訪問的記者Christopher Clarey，跟進網球新聞超過25年，在2021年曾出版費達拿的
傳記。他早在2001年2月第一次訪問費達拿，當時費達拿還是一位未贏過重要冠軍的小伙
子。如今，費達拿已經名滿天下，在掌聲中退役。
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費達拿的故事，總有拿度的身影。（Getty Images）
記者問到，拿度趕赴利華盃，與費達拿拍檔告別戰的細節及意義。
41歲的費達拿在周一晚說：「美網之後，我聯絡了他（拿度），我等待他完成賽事後，讓
他知道我退役的事。」
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最後一戰，夢幻組合打雙打。（美聯社）
「我希望在他準備好一個沒有打算參加利華盃的計劃前，得悉我這件事。我告訴他，我應
該有5成到6成的機會打雙打。我在電話上跟他說：『記住，我會幫你留住位置。你知道家
中的情況後再告訴我，我們再聯絡。』不過，拿度很快就在電話上明確告訴我：『我會盡
一切可能來陪你。』我覺得十分美妙。這顯示出我們對對方何等重要，以及我們之間的尊
重。」
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費達拿邀請拿度參加利華盃為他的雙打拍檔，拿度爽快地表示會盡一切可能去陪他。（Ge
tty Images）
費達拿形容，他們在激烈的競爭中一起脫穎而出，站上世界之巔，同時擁有一份宿敵之間
的珍貴友情，這是個美好故事，這個故事甚至不只屬於網壇及體壇。他續說：「我覺得整
件事完成得比我想像中還要好。這是來自拿度的付出，我一定永遠不會忘記他在倫敦為我
做的一切。」
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為了費達拿，拿度趕到倫敦，出席利華盃。（Getty Images）
在那個周五晚上的利華盃，費達拿的真摯感情流露，無論是透過言語，還是表情，抑或是
淚水，都震撼每位觀眾及球迷的心坎。費達拿說：「我一直是個很難控制得住自己情緒的
人，無論贏輸，一開始，更多是憤怒、悲傷所以哭泣。後來，我會為勝利流下喜悅的眼淚
。」
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這張照片，訴說了一個網球最好的時代。梅利（左起）、拿度、費達拿及祖高域。（Gett
y Images）
「我覺得在那個星期五，是另一種境況。老實說，我覺得每一位，梅利、祖高域及拿度，
我從他們的眼中，彷彿看到他們職業生涯的片段在閃過。我都很清楚，大家都已在借來的
時間裏，而這段獲眷顧時間都夠長了。當你年紀漸長，過了30歲，你會開始懂得在生活及
運動中值得真正欣賞的東西。」
在那場代表告別的利華盃上，觸動最多人的畫面，相信是那張費達拿跟拿度坐在長椅上，
望向螢幕，很自然地手拖手，兩個男人哭得淚眼紅紅。費達拿說：「我有看到那張照片。
」
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費達拿及拿度手拖手，一同落淚，畫面令人觸動。（Twitter）
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「那是個短暫的時刻，那一刻，我哭得很厲害，我不知道，所有畫面在我腦海中浮現，我
很開心跟每一位一起經歷這個時刻。那一刻很美好，我們坐在那裏，沉醉下來，聽住音樂
，或者更多是沐浴在她（歌手Ellie Goulding）的歌聲裏。所以，你幾乎忘記有人會拍照
。我估計可能有個時刻，因為歌聲還在，我們不能談話，所以我就觸摸了他。我估，這個
可能是給他的一個秘密的感謝（secret thank you）。」
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費達拿職業生涯最後一場，與拿度拍檔雙打。（Getty Images）
在利華盃的雙打，費達拿及拿度代表歐洲隊出戰，最終不敵世界隊索克（Jack Sock）及
迪亞科（Frances Tiafoe），以一場輸波為職業生涯寫上句號。費達拿沒有以此為憾，反
而覺得完整，他說：「我輸了最後一場單打，我輸了最後一場雙打，我在尖叫及支持隊友
時叫到失聲。這是我最後一次團體賽落敗。我失業了，但我很高興。很好的，真的很好。
」
雖然利華盃是費達拿職業生涯的告別戰，但他表明有意打表演賽。他說：「如果可以有告
別表演賽，一定很美好。你都知道，我要多謝球迷。在我公布退役前，利華盃的門票已經
賣光。很多人想買票都買不到。如果可以打多一場或者幾場告別表演賽，一定是好事，但
我不肯定自己能否做到，或者應否現在去做。無論如何，我之後都想打表演賽，可能網球
會為我帶來新的體驗，或者回到最初那些歡樂的時刻。」
費達拿的時代過去，現今網壇有沒有見到「新費達拿」的出現。這位20屆大滿貫得主說：
「我現在見不到，但如果有，一定要是個用單手打反手的球手。」
「不過，沒有人需要學我。以前人們都覺得我會打得像森柏斯，最後都不是這回事。我覺
得每人都要有自己的風格，而不是模仿他人。即使模仿是一種最大的認同及奉承，但我都
希望每人找到自己的道路，那麼網球才會更好。」
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「瑞士天王」費達拿告別職業網壇。（Getty Images）
https://tinyurl.com/2pxh8k35
原文：
Federer on His Exit and Holding Nadal’s Hand: ‘It’s Maybe a Secret Thank Yo
u’
In an interview, Roger Federer opens up about the emotions of his goodbye at t
he Laver Cup and about the future of men’s tennis. “Nobody needs to play lik
e me, by the way,” he said.
By Christopher Clarey
Sept. 27, 2022
Roger Federer, newly retired, was back in Switzerland on Monday night after fl
ying home from London, where he wrapped up a whirlwind farewell to his competi
tive career with one last match at the Laver Cup.
He partnered with his friendly rival Rafael Nadal in doubles for Team Europe,
losing a close match to Frances Tiafoe and Jack Sock of Team World, which also
went on to win the Laver Cup for the first time in five attempts.
But the defeat was secondary to the occasion — an intense, emotional goodbye
for Federer and those surrounding him, including his wife, Mirka, and their fo
ur children, plus his friendly rivals Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
Federer, 41, established himself long ago as one of the greatest players in te
nnis history, but after breaking Pete Sampras’s men’s record of 14 Grand Sla
m singles titles in 2009, he chose to play on for 13 more years. He won five m
ore majors and at age 36 became the oldest men’s No. 1 since the advent of th
e ATP rankings in 1973.
His departure marks the beginning of the end of a golden age in the men’s gam
e in which Nadal, Djokovic and Federer have developed rich and long-running ri
valries, lifting each other and their sport. Federer, for all his longevity an
d tennis genius, now ranks third in the Grand Slam singles titles chase behind
Nadal with 22 and Djokovic with 21.
I first interviewed Federer in February 2001, in his home city of Basel, Switz
erland, when he was still a teenager and had yet to win his first major. On Mo
nday night, we spoke by telephone about the 21 years since and his goodbye to
competition:
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
So, how do you feel now that it’s really over?
I think I feel complete. I lost my last singles match. I lost my last doubles
match. I lost my voice from screaming and supporting the team. I lost the last
time as a team. I lost my job, but I’m very happy. I’m good. I’m really go
od. That’s the ironic part, is everybody thinks about happy fairy-tale ending
s, you know? And for me, actually it ended up being that but in a way that I n
ever thought was going to happen.
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Federer partnered with his friendly rival Rafael Nadal in doubles for Team Eur
ope at the Laver Cup.Credit...James Hill for The New York Times
Rafa Nadal clearly made a big effort to be part of the event on Friday, given
his wife’s pregnancy. What did it mean, knowing all that you knew, for him to
be there for you for the doubles?
I called him after the U.S. Open — I waited for him to finish that tournament
— just to let him know about my retirement.
And I just wanted to let him know before he started making some plans without
the Laver Cup at all. I told him on the phone that I was probably 50-50 or 60-
40 on making the doubles. I told him, “Look, I’ll keep you posted. You let m
e know how things are at home. And we’ll reconnect.”
But it very quickly got clear on the phone, and Rafa told me, “I will try eve
rything I possibly can to be there with you.” And that felt obviously incredi
ble for me. And it showed again how much we mean to one another and how much r
espect we have. And I just thought it would be just a beautiful, amazing story
for us, for sports, for tennis, and maybe beyond that as well, where we can c
oexist in a tough rivalry and come out on top and show that, hey, again it’s
just tennis. Yes, it’s hard, and it’s brutal sometimes, but it’s always fai
r. And you can come out on the other side and still have this great, friendly
rivalry. I just thought it ended up even better than I ever thought it would.
So, an incredible effort by Rafa, and I’ll obviously never forget what he did
for me in London.
Those raw emotions after the match were powerful for a lot of people around th
e world, particularly the scenes with you and Rafa. Do you think you maybe cha
nged the way people view male athletes?
I think I have always had a hard time keeping my emotions in check, winning an
d losing. In the beginning, it was more about being angry and sad and crying.
And then, I was happy-crying about my wins. I think on Friday, this was anothe
r animal, to be honest, because I think all of the guys — Andy [Murray], Nova
k and also Rafa — saw their careers flashing in front of their eyes, knowing
that we all in a way have been on borrowed time for long enough already. As yo
u get older, you get into your 30s, you start knowing what you really apprecia
te in life but also from the sport.
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“I was sobbing so hard, and, I don’t know, everything was going through my m
ind about how happy I am to actually experience this moment right there with e
verybody,” Federer said.Credit...Ella Ling/Shutterstock
What’s it like to look at that image?
Well, I mean, it was a short moment. I think at one point, I was sobbing so ha
rd, and I don’t know, everything was going through my mind about how happy I
am to actually experience this moment right there with everybody. And I think
that’s what was so beautiful about just sitting there, taking it all in while
the music was playing, and the focus was maybe more on her [the singer Ellie
Goulding]. So, you almost forgot that you’re still being taken pictures of. I
guess at one point, just because obviously I couldn’t speak and the music wa
s there, I guess I just touched him, and I guess it’s maybe a secret thank yo
u. I don’t know what it was, but for me, that’s maybe what it was and how it
felt and some pictures came out of it. Different ones. Not just that one but
other ones, too, that were just completely crazy, you know, so with different
angles, and I hope to get those because they mean a lot to me.
That moment when you’re talking to your kids and telling them, I’m not cryin
g because I’m sad. I’m crying because I’m happy. I think any parent could r
elate to that.
I didn’t know that people could hear that. They looked so sad to me, and when
I told them I was retiring, also three of them were crying, because they thin
k that I’m sad about it, but I’m truly not. And, of course, a moment like th
is is so powerful in the arena. It was hard not to cry at some point, and not
just hard for them.
You dehydrated the world.
We’ve got to recharge on those tears.
You’ve said, “It’s time to stop. I can feel it.” Is that mostly based on f
eeling you just can’t move the way you need to move on tour anymore to compet
e?
That’s part of it. It’s also the age, let’s be honest. And going to the ver
y end of it, I don’t see the point. I tried so long the last few years that i
t’s fine. You know, it’s all good. And you get to a point where, you know, w
hen I did the surgery last year I knew it was going be a long road back. And i
t was going to take me probably a year.
So, of course, in my dream, I saw myself playing again, but I was very realist
ic about the comeback. Number one, I did it for my personal life. I knew it wa
s the right thing to do: Let’s get this leg fixed and all that. For that, I h
ad to do a proper rehab. If I just retire, I know I will not do my rehab corre
ctly. So, if I stay active and I’m still a professional tennis player, I know
I will do it 100 percent right. And I keep the options open to hopefully mayb
e return to exhibition tennis at least, 250s hopefully, 500s and 1000s if thin
gs really go super well. And Grand Slams if, you know, magic happens.
As time went by, I could feel less and less chance as the knee was creating pr
oblems for me as I was struggling to power through. And that’s when I ultimat
ely said, look, it’s OK, I accept it. Because I left it all out there. Nothin
g more to prove.
You rarely showed it, but what percentage of your matches did you play over th
e years in some kind of pain?
I think we all play sick and hurt. I was always of the impression that I can p
lay through some pain, a lot of pain, like we all have to. But I think I alway
s felt my body very well. I knew when I could power through and when I had to
be careful. And I was always of the opinion that I’d rather take the rest at
some point: give myself the extra week, the extra day, the extra hour, the ext
ra month, whatever it is, and take it easy, go back to training and then come
back strong again. That’s why I tried to avoid any sorts of injections and op
erations for the longest time until I had to have surgery in 2016.
I know you were joking with your teammates in London about your lack of mobili
ty, but are you confident now after playing the doubles that your body will al
low you to play exhibition tennis?
I have to go back to the drawing board now and just see after this incredible
weekend, what I should do next.
I think it would be beautiful to somehow have a goodbye exhibition game, you k
now, and thank the fans, because obviously Laver Cup was already sold out befo
re I knew about retirement. A lot of people would have loved to get more ticke
ts and couldn’t, so I just feel maybe it would be nice to have one more or se
veral goodbye exhibitions, but I’m not sure if I could or I should do that no
w. But obviously I would love to play exhibitions down the road, take tennis t
o new places or take it back to fun places where I had a blast.
As you step away, do you see anybody out there who plays the game like you do?
Not right now. Obviously, it would have to be a guy with a one-handed backhand
. Nobody needs to play like me, by the way. People also thought I was going to
play like Pete Sampras, and I didn’t. I think everybody needs to be their ow
n version of themselves. And not a copycat, even though copying is the biggest
sign of flattery. But I wish all of them to find their own selves, and tennis
will be great. I’m sure I’ll always be the No. 1 fan of the game. And I’ll
follow, sometimes in the stands, sometimes on TV, but of course, I hope for e
nough one-handers, enough attacking tennis, enough flair. But I’m going to si
t back and relax and watch the game from a different angle.
Meanwhile, your rivals play on. You said it was important to retire first as y
ou are the oldest. Were you worried Rafa would beat you to it this spring when
he was considering retirement because of his foot problems?
I got a scare with Murray, too. I remember vividly when I saw him in the locke
r room in Australia in 2019 after his Bautista match [referring to Roberto Bau
tista Agut]. I remember he said, “I might be done.” We were asked to do fare
well videos; I had a chance to go. I went up to him and asked him, “Are you l
ike seriously done?” And I remember him telling me, “Well, with this hip, I
can’t play anymore.” So, he knew he was at a huge crossroads in his life. Bu
t yeah, I’m happy I could go first, because I also am supposed to go first. S
o, that’s why it’s felt good. And I hope they can all play as long as possib
le and squeeze that lemon out. I really wish the best for them.
Christopher Clarey has covered tennis and global sports for The Times and the
International Herald Tribune for more than 25 years from bases in France, Spai
n and the United States. His book “The Master: The Long Run and Beautiful Gam
e of Roger Federer” was published in 2021. @christophclarey
A version of this article appears in print on Sept. 28, 2022, Section B, Page
8 of the New York edition with the headline: Roger Federer on the Tears of an
Unconventional Fairy-Tale Ending. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe