CELEBRITY
Federer to bow out in style with Nadal by his side
Some of the most iconic moments of Roger Federer’s glittering career featured Rafa Nadal across the net but on Friday his great Spanish rival will be alongside him for his final bow.
The 41-year-old Federer, winner of 20 Grand Slam titles and for many the greatest player to wield a tennis racket, is back in one of his favourite cities to bring down the curtain on a 24-year professional career that scaled staggering heights.
He will partner Nadal for a doubles match on the opening day of the Laver Cup at London’s O2 Arena — a three-day team event in which Europe takes on the Rest of the World.
Federer announced last week that the Laver Cup would be his final competitive event having failed to overcome a nagging right knee issue that required multiple surgeries.
While that injury means he is unable to feature in a singles match here in London, he will conclude the opening day alongside men’s record 22-time Grand Slam champion Nadal as they face American duo Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe.
As farewells go, it simply could not be better.
Federer played Nadal 40 times in one of the most compelling rivalries witnessed in tennis.
Who could forget their 2008 Wimbledon final when Nadal denied Federer a sixth consecutive title, the time Federer cried following defeat in a brutal 2009 Australian Open final, or the 2017 Australian Open final when Federer ended a five-year wait for his 18th major title by defeating Nadal in a classic.
No quarter has ever been given on the court but despite the ferocity of their duels, deep respect endures.
Which is why Federer said earlier this week that playing with Nadal would be a beautiful way to conclude a career that caught fire when he claimed his first Grand slam title in 2003 by winning Wimbledon.
Europe’s captain Bjorn Borg, not surprisingly, granted him his wish.
“It’s going to be a different kind of pressure to be part of this historic moment,” Nadal told reporters.
“It’s going to be something amazing and unforgettable for me. I’m super excited. maybe we can create a good moment and maybe win the match.”
Federer cut a relaxed figure as he sat with his team mates, including 21-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic and twice Wimbledon champion Andy Murray.
But he said the emotions could hit him on Friday.
“I’m not sure if I can handle (all the emotions) but I will try,” Federer, whose presence had fans flocking to watch practice sessions on Thursday, told reporters.
“This one feels a whole lot different. It’s super special playing with Rafa. “Feels very different you know.”
Nadal was asked to highlight some of his best moments against Federer, not surprisingly picking the 2008 Wimbledon final as one of his most cherished.
He also spoke warmly of their enduring friendship.
“I think we are very proud it’s been a friendly rivalry,” said Nadal, who beat Federer in six Grand Slam finals.
“Not easy because we are playing for such important things for our tennis careers, but at the same time we were able to understand that personal relationships are more important than sometimes professional things.
“Tomorrow is going to be special thing.”
Rest of the World captain John McEnroe said there had been some “coin flicking” to see who would face Nadal and Federer in Friday’s doubles — saying that whatever the result of the match it would be a magical night for tennis.
“It’s a very unique situation that we are all fortunate enough to be around,” McEnroe said. “This is like an incredible moment for our sport.
Sock said he was stoked to be part of an iconic night while Tiafoe, who reached the U.S. Open semi-finals, added: “I’m just excited to play two up-and-comers!
“Both guys are absolute legends, and obviously it’s Roger’s last dance.”
Sock opens play in Friday’s first singles against U.S. Open runner-up Casper Ruud while Murray is the evening warm up act against Alex de Minaur.
-Reuters
Former England soccer captain David Beckham and actor Gary Oldman were knighted in King Charles’ annual birthday honours list on Saturday, while sculptor Antony Gormley was made a Companion of Honour.
Beckham, 50, joined Manchester United as a trainee in 1993, going on to make almost 400 appearances for the club where he won a string of titles and cups.
He subsequently played for Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, and Inter Milan, as well as captaining his country 58 times and making 115 appearances.
His marriage to fashion designer and former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham in 1999 cemented a celebrity status which went far beyond his sporting exploits.
Oldman, 67, started his career on the stage, where he was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, before rising to prominence in film. He won the best actor Oscar for playing Winston Churchill in the 2017 drama “Darkest Hour”.
He also had roles in the “Dark Knight Trilogy” and the “Harry Potter” movie series and more recently starred in the TV spy drama “Slow Horses”.
Other famous names receiving honours included damehoods for musical theatre star Elaine Paige, novelist Pat Barker and ceramics maker Emma Bridgewater.
Roger Daltrey, lead singer of rock band the Who and a patron of the Teenage Cancer Trust, received a knighthood for services to charity.
More than 1,200 people received honours for their achievements, with a particular focus on those who had given their time to public service, the government said.
King Charles’ official birthday will be celebrated with the annual “Trooping the Colour” military parade in London on Saturday. His actual birthday is on November 14
-Reuters
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One of three judges in Diego Maradona’s closely scrutinized homicide trial in Argentina resigned on Tuesday amid a scandal triggered by the alleged filming of an unauthorised documentary, bringing uncertainty to the future of legal proceedings.
The high-profile trial over the death of soccer star Maradona began on March 11 in the South American country where the World Cup winner is still revered.
-Reuters
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For the third year in a row, and the fifth time overall, Cristiano Ronaldo is the world’s highest-paid athlete.
But at age 40, the Portuguese soccer superstar is reaching new highs.
Over the past 12 months, counting both his playing salary at Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr and his off-field business endeavors, Ronaldo collected an estimated $275 million before taxes and agent fees—the third-best year by an active athlete ever measured by Forbes.
On that all-time list, Ronaldo is surpassed only by boxer Floyd Mayweather, who earned $300 million in 2015 and $285 million in 2018.
And when it comes to the 2025 leaderboard, Ronaldo has a $119 million advantage over No. 2, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry.
The League of Wealthy Sportsmen
The gap is especially impressive considering that Curry’s $156 million total is also a record for his sport, beating the NBA mark of $128.2 million set last year by LeBron James.
And there are plenty of other eye-popping paydays among this year’s 10 highest-paid athletes, starting with James, who notched a personal-best $133.8 million to land at No. 6. Meanwhile, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (No. 4, $137million) and New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto (No. 7, $114 million) broke records for the NFL and MLB.
Combined, the 10 highest-paid athletes brought in $1.4 billion, up slightly from last year’s $1.38 billion and the largest total since Forbes began ranking athlete earnings in 1990.
This year is also only the second time, after 2024, that every member of the top 10 made at least $100 million.
In fact, heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk ($101 million) and golfer Jon Rahm ($100 million) reached the milestone, too, without managing to crack this list.
For the third year in a row, and the fifth time overall, Cristiano Ronaldo is the world’s highest-paid athlete.
But at age 40, the Portuguese soccer superstar is reaching new highs.
Over the past 12 months, counting both his playing salary at Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr and his off-field business endeavors, Ronaldo collected an estimated $275 million before taxes and agent fees—the third-best year by an active athlete ever measured by Forbes.
On that all-time list, Ronaldo is surpassed only by boxer Floyd Mayweather, who earned $300 million in 2015 and $285 million in 2018.
And when it comes to the 2025 leaderboard, Ronaldo has a $119 million advantage over No. 2, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry.
The gap is especially impressive considering that Curry’s $156 million total is also a record for his sport, beating the NBA mark of $128.2 million set last year by LeBron James.
And there are plenty of other eye-popping paydays among this year’s 10 highest-paid athletes, starting with James, who notched a personal-best $133.8 million to land at No. 6. Meanwhile, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (No. 4, $137million) and New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto (No. 7, $114 million) broke records for the NFL and MLB.
Combined, the 10 highest-paid athletes brought in $1.4 billion, up slightly from last year’s $1.38 billion and the largest total since Forbes began ranking athlete earnings in 1990.
This year is also only the second time, after 2024, that every member of the top 10 made at least $100 million.
In fact, heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk ($101 million) and golfer Jon Rahm ($100 million) reached the milestone, too, without managing to crack this list.
World’s Highest-Paid Athletes 2025
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