Roger Federer played his last professional match on the first day of the event, where he partnered with Rafael Nadal to face Frances Tiafoe and Jack Sock of Team World. Despite winning the first set, the legendary pair lost a close match.
Moments after the match ended, a fan page took to social media to state that Tiafoe hitting his shots straight at Federer and Nadal during the match was “a bit weird.” Opelka came forward in his compatriot’s defense and exchanged a series of tweets with the same fan page, calling their claim a “joke.”
The page responded by saying that it didn’t suggest that Tiafoe should have let Federer and Nadal win, but that he should have avoided hitting shots at 100 mph towards their heads.
Opelka hit back with a sarcastic reply.
The 25-year-old had had enough and decided to give an insight into what went on on the court. After a lesson in tennis, he ended by suggesting that the fan page should leave tennis and instead start writing about pickleball.
“They’ve given Roger Federer the send-off he so deserves” - Billie Jean King on Martina Navratilova, Pam Shriver, and Reilly Opelka
Hours after Roger Federer retired from tennis as a professional, former World No. 1 Billie Jean King took to social media to laud the new team of commentators, including Martina Navratilova, Pam Shriver, and Reilly Opelka, for the way in which they called the Swiss legend’s last match.
Team Europe’s Federer and Rafael Nadal lost 4-6, 7-6(2), 11-9 to Frances Tiafoe and Jack Sock of Team World. The 20-time Grand Slam champion had announced his decision to hang up his racquet around a week before the match in an emotional social media post.
Team World ended up winning the tournament for the first time in five attempts as they beat Team Europe 13-8.
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