untitled design

Behind the photo that captures Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal’s friendship

It was a moment – ​​as brief as half a second – that captured the intensity of the relationship and rivalry between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

Positioned on the side of the court with her camera ready, photographer Ella Ling expected Federer’s departure from tennis to be emotionally charged – but when the moment came, the shedding of tears and adulation took her by surprise.

Ahead of him at London’s O2 Arena were Federer and Nadal – the Swiss star’s longtime friend and rival – sitting hand in hand as they sobbed uncontrollably. As the scene after Federer’s final match unfolded, Ling began clicking his camera and hoping for the best.

“It wasn’t until I went back to my computer and downloaded everything that I found that photo and thought, ‘Wow, this is the one I want to share with everyone,'” Ling, who follows the men’s and women’s tennis tours around the world, told CNN.

The image in question – a photo of Federer’s hand on top of Nadal’s while Ellie Goulding sings “Still Falling For You” during the Laver Cup gained widespread attention, capturing a scene unlike any Ling witnessed on a tennis court.

“I just wanted to capture an image that really summed up the feel of the night, but also a moment in history where he [Federer] is finally playing his last game and has retired,” she adds. “I would love to have an iconic photo, but I never imagined I would get one.”

The Laver Cup provided an opportunity to honor Federer’s brilliant tennis career, even if the results were not in his favor.

Playing alongside Nadal, he lost the doubles match against Americans Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe on the first day of the tournament, then sat out the next two days when Team Europe lost 13–8 against Team World. But the images that are likely to define Federer’s swan song are his and Nadal – rivals for more than 15 years with 42 Grand Slam titles between them – struggling to keep their emotions in check.

“Off the court, I think they (Federer and Nadal) share very, very similar values ​​and morals,” says Ling.

“They value the family a lot, they value respect. Both are very, very stylish. They always win sportsmanship awards and stuff like that. I think that’s where they bonded. But at the same time, I don’t think any of us really understood how close they were. I didn’t realize until this moment and all night (when) you can see how close they were.”

Over the course of their rivalry, Federer and Nadal played 40 times, including nine Grand Slam finals – six of which were won by Nadal. After so many battles on the court, witnessing the two players reduced to tears was an impressive sight, according to Ling.

“You have these two masculine men – they are male athletes who would try not to show any emotion on the court, and rarely would you see much emotion off the court,” she says.

“For them to be sitting there in the moment, crying uncontrollably, holding each other’s hands in front of 17,000 people – and millions of others on TV – and being so pure, so raw, so open about it is amazing.

“I think it will do a lot of good for society as well to see that.” For his part, Federer said the moment with Nadal was a “secret thank you” and that he hopes to get some of the Laver Cup photos.

“I think all the guys – Andy [Murray]Novak [Djokovic] and also Rafa – saw their careers flash in front of their eyes, knowing that all of us, in a way, have been on borrowed time long enough,” Federer told The New York Times.

“As you get older, into your 30s, you start to know what you really appreciate in life, but also in sport.” “You almost forgot they’re still taking pictures… because obviously I couldn’t speak and the music was there, I think I just played it,” Federer added.

Ling says she was well positioned to take the picture of Federer and Nadal, out of the way of the TV cameras that shielded other photographers from capturing the photo. She hopes it will long be remembered as one of the most iconic photos in tennis – and the sport in general. “That’s the beauty of photography,” says Ling, “you capture those moments and they’re there forever.”

Source: CNN Brasil

You may also like

Get the latest

Stay Informed: Get the Latest Updates and Insights

 

Most popular