Roger Federer promised his fans they had not seen the last of him after bringing the curtain down on his glittering career, saying he would see them on a “different type of tennis court” in future. 

The Swiss 20-time Grand Slam champion and Rafael Nadal lost their Laver Cup doubles match 6-4, 6-7 (2/7), 9-11 to Team World’s Frances Tiafoe and Jack Sock. The defeat for Europe left the two teams locked at two points apiece after the first day of the Ryder Cup-style event at London’s O2 arena. But the match itself was ultimately a sideshow on an emotional occasion for the 41-year-old, who made a lengthy and tearful address to the crowd, his rivals and family afterwards. “This is not the end-end, you know, life goes on,” he told a post-match press conference in the early hours of Saturday, having recovered the poise that was the hallmark of his career.