'Rod Laver maybe made a few million — Alcaraz has $15 million this year': Roger Federer on why legends matter

Roger Federer may have stepped away from the sport three years ago, but his voice and vision continue to shape tennis. Speaking with Andy Roddick during a live edition of Served at the Laver Cup in San Francisco, the 20-time Grand Slam champion reflected on the origins of the event, his admiration for Rod Laver, and the importance of connecting different eras of the game.

Federer explained that the Laver Cup was born from a sense of responsibility toward tennis history. “In tennis, I feel we forget the legends of our sport. We don’t see them enough, we don’t include them enough. I’ve always been a little sad not to see all the heroes who paved the way for us more often. Prize money has gone up incredibly. Rod Laver maybe made a few million in his whole career. Carlos [Alcaraz] has already made $15 million just this year. I was always educated about the history of the game, and I thought: let’s bring the legends back, get them together for a weekend, give them a role.”

The Swiss icon admitted that the project was partly selfish at first — he wanted to spend time with his idols. “Honestly, it was a little selfish — I thought it would be so cool to spend time with Björn Borg! But it’s those little interactions that matter. Andy meeting Yannick Noah for the first time three days ago. Joao [Fonseca] in the locker room talking tennis with Andre [Agassi]. That’s what I wanted: for players to leave the Laver Cup inspired and motivated, having learned something about the history of the game, while also forming a team that normally never gets to exist.”

He also stressed that from day one, the Laver Cup had to feel like a real competition. “I never wanted it to be clowning around and giggling. There are exhibitions for that. At the Laver Cup, if fans buy a hefty ticket to see the best players in the world, they deserve real tennis. Smiles and fun, yes — but once the ball is in play, it must be with purpose. And to honour Rod Laver and the generations before. Being part of the inaugural Laver Cup was important for me, because I could help set that tone.”

Retirement and the farewell with Nadal

The conversation inevitably turned to Federer’s own retirement in London, 2022, where he played his last match alongside Rafael Nadal. For him, the Laver Cup setting was the perfect stage. “It felt like a perfect ending, considering all the history, all the times I played against Rafa, that he could be next to me. When I realised I wasn’t coming back, it was emotional but also peaceful. I could share that moment with my team, my rivals, my family, and the fans. It was bigger than just me.”

That image of Federer and Nadal crying side by side became one of the most iconic moments in recent sports history. Federer acknowledged that the emotions were real but also cathartic: “I felt relief in many ways, because the uncertainty was over. You live with this hope that maybe, just maybe, your body will cooperate again. But once I accepted it, the ending was beautiful. Sharing that with Rafa was not planned years in advance — it just happened that way. And I think that made it even more authentic.”

Injury battles and learning from Nadal

Federer also opened up about the struggles of his final years on tour, particularly his knee problems, and how they shaped his outlook. “I kept hoping the knee would come around, but it just wouldn’t. I had to accept that reality. Rafa has been so open about his own injuries, about his doubts. I was a bit more private, but I admire how he let people in. Maybe I should have done more of that. But in the end, we each handle our struggles in our own way.”

Those comments reveal a side of Federer that fans rarely saw during his career: vulnerability. Nadal’s willingness to speak openly about pain, surgeries and doubts stood in contrast to Federer’s controlled public image. By admitting he might have been “too private,” Federer offered a glimpse into the toll of being relentlessly positive while facing setbacks. For him, the end wasn’t just about a physical limitation — it was about learning when to let go.

The Swiss maestro reflected on the evolution of the game, acknowledging how baseline-heavy men’s tennis has become. He contrasted that with his own practice memories: “I loved playing practice sets with Rafa. Sometimes we’d go two hours straight without even realising. With Andre, it was the same — he had this incredible intensity. Those moments stay with you forever. They’re part of why I wanted to create a place where generations overlap, where a young player could feel what it’s like to be in that environment with their heroes.”