Roger Federer will say goodbye together with Rafael Nadal 0:40
(CNN) --
After numerous close battles with each other over the years, Roger Federer will be able to enjoy what he called a "special moment" by teaming up with Rafael Nadal for the final match of his career.
Federer, who will retire from tennis after this week's Laver Cup, confirmed he would only play one doubles match at London's O2 Arena this Friday, the final act of his long and decorated career.
And this Thursday it was announced that the Swiss star would pair up with Nadal, 18 years after they met for the first time on the ATP Tour in Miami.
The two have met 40 times throughout their careers — including nine Grand Slam finals — and also played together in the 2017 Laver Cup.
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"For as long as we've wrestled together, we've always respected each other — our families, our coaching teams — we've always gotten along very well," Federer told reporters Wednesday when asked about the possibility of play alongside the Spanish.
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"Going through the careers that we've both had, coming out the other side and being able to have a good relationship, I think that's maybe a great message as well, not just for tennis, but for the sport beyond.
"For that reason, I think it would be great. I don't know if it's going to happen, but I think it could be obviously a special moment."
Nadal told a news conference on Thursday that he was "super excited" about Friday's doubles match.
"After all the incredible things that we share together on and off the court, [being] part of this historic moment, it's going to be something, yes, incredible and unforgettable for me," Nadal said, "and yes, super excited, I hope that he can have a good response time, play at a decent level and hopefully together we can create a good moment and maybe win a match."
Federer and Nadal will face the American couple Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe on Friday in the first day of the Laver Cup.
Federer said he had to get permission from Team Europe captain Björn Borg and tournament organizers to play in a single doubles match at the Laver Cup this week.
The competition pits teams from Europe and the rest of the world in nine singles matches and three doubles matches over three days.
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"Here I am trying to prepare for one last doubles," Federer said Wednesday.
"I'm nervous because I haven't played in a long time. I hope I can be somewhat competitive."
The 41-year-old has undergone multiple knee operations in recent years and his last outing was a straight-sets loss to Hubert Hurkacz in the Wimbledon quarter-final last year.
He said that, until two months ago, he planned to play again next year, before making the decision to retire.
"I just wanted the fans to know that I will not be a ghost," Federer said when asked how he would remain involved in tennis after his retirement.
Roger Federer announces his retirement from tennis
"I feel like tennis has given me too much, I've been around the game for too long, I've fallen in love with too many things. I love seeing people again and that's what I wanted to let the fans know: that they will love me again." see... What it could be, in what capacity, I don't know. I still have to think about it a bit and give myself time."
Among the many accolades of his tennis career, Federer won 103 singles titles and 20 Grand Slam titles, a figure second only to Nadal (22) and Novak Djokovic (21) on the men's all-time list.
He became the oldest world No. 1 at age 36 and also spent a record 237 consecutive weeks atop the world rankings between 2004 and 2008.
Rafael Nadal Roger Federer