“I actually flew out early on Tuesday to be there” : Roger Federer on missing Andy Murray’s farewell

Andy Murray bid adieu to Wimbledon, as he was knocked out in the first round of the Men’s Doubles event alongside his brother, Jamie Murray. The Briton who underwent a surgery a couple of weeks ago already withdrew himself from the Singles event earlier this week.

There was a short ceremony organized for the two-time Wimbledon champion, with several legends being in attendance. Even Novak Djokovic attended the farewell ceremony, as many expected a surprise visit from the eight-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer.

The Swiss legend stated that he flew out early this week to make sure he was in attendance during the farewell event. However, due to disruptions in schedule, and personal commitments, he was unable to make it to the Centre Court for the event.

“I would have loved to be there, but I had commitments and I didn’t know how it was going to work out. I actually flew out early on Tuesday to be there in case he was playing his singles. When I was boarding, I found out Andy wasn’t playing his singles. I thought, ‘Oh my God.’ I was on standby,” said Federer.

“Unfortunately, last night I couldn’t be there. I rushed over to see him before the match. I could see Andy was extremely nervous and he was really concerned about that moment. Obviously Wimbledon means a lot to him, his family and his team. I watched all the highlights and thought, ‘This is great for him,” he added.

“I loved playing against him, even though he beat me probably 20 times” : Roger Federer on Andy Murray

Roger Federer stated that he loved playing against Andy Murray, despite losing to him on numerous occasions. The Briton was scheduled to play the Mixed Doubles event alongside Emma Raducanu. However, the pair decided to withdraw from the tournament on Sunday, owing to Emma’s commitment in the singles event.

Roger Federer also added that he would have loved to be at Andy Muray’s farewell event, as he was present during his last professional match at the Laver Cup.

“This is great for him. He’s still got a bit of a journey to go in the mixed tournament and the Olympics. Then I think it’s over for him. He was there for my retirement at the Laver Cup. I was so happy he was there. I hope I get to see Andy again. What an incredible career. I loved playing against him, even though he beat me probably 20 times. He was great. Of course, I was also very emotional yesterday,” said Federer, as quoted by We Love Tennis.

Andy Murray will now compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics, as he is expected to announce his retirement post the Summer Games. The Briton has struggled with injuries in the last half of his career, as he has been unable to compete for Grand Slam titles. However, the three-time Grand Slam champion has marked his name in the history book, as he remains the only male player to win two Singles gold medal at the Summer Olympic Games.

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