The fairytale ending of a victory in his final match fell agonizingly short of coming true, Federer and his great friend and rival Rafael Nadal failing to convert a match point before losing a knife-edge doubles to Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe 4-6, 7-6(2) 11-9.

The match itself was the perfect way for Federer to go out.

That left Nadal with the lion’s share of the work, and the fact that the legendary pair reached match point was largely down to Nadal’s willingness to run for everything (and who knows how fit Nadal really is?).

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal break down as the tennis world acknowledges Federer’s legendary career.

Three times he and Nadal were two points from victory – at 5-4 and 6-5 in the second set and 8-8 in the match tiebreak – and they moved to within a point of victory at 9-8.

The match even featured an addition to the Federer showreel.

As Goulding sang “Fire and ice”, Federer hugged Mirka, his four children, and his parents, before doing a lap of honor around a still almost-full stadium as the clock ticked towards 1am.