Federer retirement reality starts to bite

Ticket prices for what could well be the last competitive appearance for Roger Federer are lifting skywards as the countdown to next weekend’s Laver Cup in London ticks down.

Swiss tabloid Blick reports that the most expensive ticket for the Europe v World event founded by Federer’s Team8 management company is currently retailing in the fluctuating online marketplace for around USD 80,000. It offers “unrestricted views” at the O2 arena venue.

The 41-year-old announced on Thursday that he will pack in his racquets and end his extraordinary career after three knee surgeries in recent years.

And the shock news has sent the tennis world into mild panic, coming just a month after Serena Williams also said she has finished with competition.

The well-informed Blick said that Federer ate a quiet dinner with his extended family at Zurich’s uber-luxe Baur au Lac hotel after announcing his departure on social media..

The end of a two-decade era will also impact Federer’s home ATP event the 500 series Swiss Indoors in his hometown of Basel, where he won 10 titles.

As an 11-year-old Federer started out as a ballboy at the St Jakobshalle, where his mother Lynette also worked in tournament media credentialing.

For 19 of the past 20 seasons, the tournament has counted on the appearance of the home hero to drive fevered ticket sales – now a new post-Roger marketing strategy will have to come to life in his absence.

Federer won his 10th title at the event in 2019, the last time it was played due to the COVID pandemic.

“His ten titles on St. Jakob alone mean a mark for eternity, but in his historical palmarès they only represent one piece of the puzzle,” TD Roger Brennwald told Blick.

“We have to let it (retirement) sink in first because it’s not an everyday situation.”

Officials are hoping to honour Federer at the upcoming edition.

Main photo:-Roger Federer winning his home title in Basel for the 10th time in 2019