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Federer's retirement leaves a void, says Mcenroe

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Roger Federer's retirement from competitiv­e tennis will leave a void that can never be filled, according to former world No. 1 and seven-time Grand Slam singles champion John Mcenroe. The 41-yearold Swiss bowed out on Friday after partnering great rival Rafa Nadal in a doubles encounter at the Laver Cup.

Federer, who owns 20 Grand Slam singles titles including a record eight at Wimbledon, announced last week he would be calling time on his career because of a persistent knee injury.

Mcenroe is captaining a Rest of the World team for the three-day Laver Cup at London's O2 Arena where a sellout crowd watched Federer and Nadal in action.

“Obviously there is a void that will never be filled,” Mcenroe said.

The American said Federer's four Grand Slam titles after turning 30 was an incredible achievemen­t. His last came at the Australian Open in 2018.

Asked if he could offer Federer and retirement advice, Mcenroe said: “He doesn't need my advice. He loves the sport. ... I'm hopeful that he, and I believe he will, be around it in some way, shape, or form.”

An English soccer club has brought forward the kickoff time of one of its league games as a trial run amid efforts to save money as energy costs escalate.

Mansfield's fourth-tier League Two game against Walsall on Oct. 15 had a scheduled kickoff at 3 p.m. local time but it will now start at 1 p.m. to avoid using floodlight­s. Energy price increases have skyrockete­d because of the global economic recovery from the pandemic, which sent fuel demand soaring, and then by aftershock­s of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Millions of people will be paying about 80 per cent more a year on their household energy bills starting in October, amid a cost-of-living crisis in Britain.

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Roger Federer

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