The 2023 Laver Cup is only a few hours away. Yet it feels like only yesterday that Roger Federer bid a sorrowful farewell in his last’s year’s edition of the tournament. Despite hanging up his racket, King Roger stayed close to his fans, almost like a family member. That is what makes him the most loved athlete in sports. Federer has a fan club as big as his heart, which started in 2005. The members often met with the Swiss Maestro for official meetings and unofficial greetings. However, a crushing reality has set in.

Due to the Swiss legend’s retirement and the uncertainty surrounding exhibition matches, the members took a heart-wrenching call. The Roger Federer fan club, which includes people from Europe, the US, Japan, India, Brazil, and Australia, decided to follow Federer’s suit, breaking the hearts of millions.

Roger Federer fan club announces a disheartening update

In 2004, Federer became the World No.1 and won three major titles. He bagged his first Australian Open, US Open, and the second Wimbledon Championships title. A fan club was formed the following year to cherish Federer as a champion. But like their idol, the subtle club remained humble and hardly ever vied for the limelight. The members maintained the fan club like a ‘secret society’ and remained the same for 18 long years. But recently, it was time to take a tough call publicly.

According to a German sports website, ‘TA Sports,’ Federer’s fan club would no longer be active after 2023. The fan meetings authority, Doris Töpfer, said, “Some contacts will remain, but many Federer fans will probably never meet again.” The decision was taken given the post-retirement schedule of the Swiss Maestro. Töpfer added, “The fan club, founded in 2005, will be dissolved at the end of the year. Roger is no longer playing and he doesn’t know yet whether he will play show matches later.”  

READ MORE: A Year After Reducing Roger Federer to ‘Tears’, Frances Tiafoe Revisits the Deeply Emotional Laver Cup Night With a 6-Word Statement

Though Federer has not played many exhibition matches, his loyalty to the sport extends beyond boundaries. The 42-year-old is all set to witness the Laver Cup live after a tearful farewell last year. In recent discussions, Federer also shared how he feels about the new upcoming experience.

The Swiss Maestro is all set to return to the court that broke a million hearts

After being honored at the Wimbledon Championships, the Laver Cup is the second significant tournament that Federer will be witnessing live. The former World No. 1 revealed that he is pumped to be in Vancouver to see two great teams packed with the best ATP players fight against each other. Reportedly, the doubles matches have excited the legend heavily because he is waiting to see duos that have never played together.

Federer also picked his favorite team, though he wished that the best team would win. He will be rooting for Team Europe because his retirement did not affect his love for the team that he has played for, for so long. So, the 20-time Grand Slam champion got candid as he revealed that a part of him will always favor Europe. Further, he advised the young generation to soak in the greatness of the veterans and learn as much as possible while enjoying themselves at the tournament.

WATCH THIS STORY: ‘What A Class Act’ – Serena Williams Sends Love As Roger Federer Hangs His Tennis Racket