Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal confirmed for doubles as Day 1 Laver Cup order of play announced
Updated 22/09/2022 at 12:14 GMT
The order of play for the opening day of the 2022 Laver Cup has been revealed with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal confirmed to play together in the doubles, which will be the last match of the night. It will be Federer’s last match before he retires from tennis, with the pair facing Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe. Andy Murray will also play on the first night in front of his home crowd.
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will team up together for the doubles match on Day 1 of the Laver Cup.
The pair have united before in the inaugural Laver Cup in 2017 and will come together for Federer’s last match before he retires from tennis on Friday night.
They will face American duo Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe, with the former having played Federer and Nadal in the doubles five years ago. On that occasion, the team dubbed 'Fedal' came out on top in three sets.
Andy Murray will also play on the opening night against Alex de Minaur in London's O2 Arena, which is expected to be sold out.
US Open runner-up Casper Ruud will kick-off the action in the afternoon session at 13:00 UK time against Sock, before Stefanos Tsitsipas plays Diego Schwartzman.
Murray’s match will begin the evening session at 19:00, before Federer takes to the court, along with Nadal, for one last dance.
‘One more beautiful moment’ – Federer
Prior to the announcement, Federer stated he wanted to play with Nadal for “one more beautiful moment” before he bows out from tennis.
“I think it would be a beautiful moment for two rivals getting together at the very end - and having played one more match together on the same side would be very special,” Federer told Eurosport.
Federer and Nadal have played each other 40 times, with the Spaniard leading the head-to-head 26-14, having won 14 of the 24 finals they have contested.
The pair have been at the forefront of tennis for the last two decades, contesting classic matches including the 2008 Wimbledon final which Federer says was his toughest loss.
“Just because the way it ended in the darkness with Rafa,” added Federer. “There was so much on the line. It needed a winner and it went his way. It was heartbreak.”
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