It’s safe to say that it’s the end of an era after Roger Federer announced his retirement. The tennis GOAT put out an audio post on his Twitter saying that the Laver Cup next week will be his last major ATP and Grand Slam competition. The parallel that can be drawn from the F1 arena in terms of achieving it all has to be none other than Lewis Hamilton.
To my tennis family and beyond,
With Love,
Roger pic.twitter.com/1UISwK1NIN— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) September 15, 2022
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From being right at the pinnacle of their abilities to winning it all, these two legends have it all in their kitty. It’s not just us saying it. Lewis Hamilton compared himself to the 20 Grand Slam title winner back in 2018.
Lewis Hamilton likens himself to Roger Federer
Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton was coming off the back of a successful 2017 campaign. The pre-season testing had already begun at Barcelona. Being at the age of 33 years at that time, some of the rivals must have thought that the Briton’s best years were behind him. Roger Federer was 36 then and at the peak of his talent and abilities. In a sport that demands a physical commitment of the highest order, 36 is the age you start thinking about hanging up your boots.
Hamilton, who too was on top of his game, and has been ever since, said, “I’m sure if you asked [Roger] Federer, he will truly believe that if he’s trained hard and arrived feeling great, there’s no-one that can touch him”.
Read More: Retiring Legend Roger Federer’s Hunter-Like Nature Inspired Lewis Hamilton’s Attack on His F1 Rivals
No sportsman is considered great in solitude. They all need a rival to bring out the best in them. While Federer has had Djokovic and Nadal, Hamilton’s had Vettel and Verstappen.
Christian Horner compares Verstappen and Hamilton to Federer and Djokovic
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Long before the 2021 season concluded, every F1 fan could see that it could well go right down to the wire. This was because Hamilton and Verstappen were one-upping each other in every race for the World Drivers’ Championship. They forced each other to be at their best, race after race. That is what every F1 fan wants to see.
Echoing the sentiment, Christian Horner had said, “It’s like when Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic face off. Max forces Lewis to make the most of himself and vice versa of course. Both have improved each other.”
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Watch This Story: The real truth behind Lewis Hamilton-Zendaya dating rumors.
It’s sad news for every tennis fan across the globe. No fan will miss the Laver Cup to watch the king of grass one last time in full swing.