And that was it. Federer's career came to a close in London on Friday night alongside his career-defining rival Rafael Nadal.
This time, together. For 17 years, they have battled across court at grand slam after grand slam, it ended on the same side of the net.
This feels apt. Federer, depsite a raging desire to be the best, always had an air of a saint on a tennis court. Never ruffled, never rattled, he seemed to stay above controversy.
Even in his toughest moments against Nadal, Djokovic et al, he stayed composed and left it all out on the court and always had a smile for his rivals off it. The remarkable thing for all three players has been their ability to stay at the top for so long - and no one can boast a longer record than Roger.
Whilst others wilted away, his star never waned.
When Federer started his career, Pat Rafter was US Open champion. As he finishes, Carlos Alcaraz - the reigning champion - was five years away from being born.
This 24-year career of grace, of purpose, has had everything. Grand Slams at every turn, Olympic golds and one of the most financially successful sporting careers ever seen.
But the true testament of his character could be heard as he entered the arena just after 10pm on Friday night. The roar that greeted him would have shook the O2 Arena. Despite the late start, no-one had left their seats, all ready to watch Federer and Nadal take on Jack Sock (30) and Frances Tiafoe (24).
Smiles and jokes from Federer were there to be seen and heard on the sidelines after the warm-ups - nerveless as ever. That could be the freedom of retirement, but the intensity of the first service game showed a man ready for one last dance.
At 1-1, 40-15, Federer gave us a moment to sum up a career. Heading towards the net and looking for a forehand winner, he managed to thread the needle between the net post and the let chord to fire the tennis ball through a circular loop no bigger than a tennis ball. He lost the point, and it was a fluke, but no man has ever made flukes look so magical.
Federer and Nadal may have 42 grand slam singles titles between them - and no strangers to doubles - but rarely have they played together. In the fifth game of the match, the Swiss player stopped the match to find out the tactics from his Spanish partner. A miscommunication, a laugh from the crowd. A very serious point of bullet forehands from all four players followed before Team Europe took a 3-2 lead in a tie that was going with serve.
And it went that way until the 10th game. Federer and Nadal won their first break to win the first set. Federer hit two forehands to put both his opponents under pressure and Sock found the net with a difficult volley.
One chance taken, the champions ever clinical.
This tie, for Sock and Tiafoe, could have been easily overwhelming. Against two legends and a partisan crowd, they had little going for them after falling a set down.
But they broke early in the second to show they were in the contest. The champions had opportunities to break straight back, but Federer uncharastically missed two forehands that allowed the Rest of the World team to hold the fourth game.
The first error was welcomed with a laugh from Federer, the other with a roar of anguish. This mattered, this was theatre.
More moments came and went. Nadal nearly made an outrageous backhand pass around the post and Tiafoe was called for grounding the ball on a tricky volley. It was a double hit on a single motion to gift Team Europe a break. Another moment of first on this night of finality.
The final service game from Federer came soon after. It didn't finish to love, but there was all the elements that his fans love within it. A spinning serve down the tee, that reliable second serve getting him out of trouble, the power to the outer edge still there when required. That was the one he went to to close out the game - a bullying hit that Sock could not control.
Europe now one game away.
Then it was two, Sock hammered home a smash to take it to 5-5.
The quartet played their best tennis as the second set came to a climax. The young upstarts racing to 40-0 against the serve before Nadal forced duece, all four players producing winners.
Six break points defended, the old campaigners finally sealed the game.
One away, again.
Duece, again. Federer forcing mistakes out of Tiafoe's volley with rasping forehands, but a backhand found the net to have to endure a tie-break.
The match entered Saturday, one more day to the career, and it would go the distance as well. Tiafoe and Sock dominating the tie-break 7-2 to force a champions tie-break. Fitting.
The crowd found their voice once more as Federer's serves saw Europe race into a 3-0 lead.
Team World responded drawing level once more. It was the witching hour in London and there was still some magic left in this tie.
Federer thought he had won the seventh point of the match tie-break only to see Sock somehow reach down to volley it back.
This was full-blooded now as Tiafoe netted to level it up at 4-4.
Sock was at it again on the next point, volleying a winner as he slipped on the grey court. The red roar of Nadal responded, volleying between the two Americans as this game remained all square.
Then came a trademark Federer ace - it wouldn't be a swan-song without that - but he went long soon after. 6-6.
He couldn't keep out of the game, this time fishing a volley off the floor to slip it cross-court for a scintilating winner. 7-7 now.
Tiafoe found Federer with a forehead and then found the net. Nothing between the teams.
Then Sock, a thoroughbred, who had been the metronome of the piece gave Europe a match point and, of course, Federer with the serve on match point. The story had more to be written, he too found the net. Now 9-9, it felt like the tennis gods couldn't bear to see him go.
The next match point fell to Team World and Sock made no mistake. Arguably the best player on the night had the final say with a forehand winner.
This brought the Laver Cup level after the first day, but in truth, no-one was here for that. As the game ended, the court was Federer's.
Tears rolled from him, from his fans, from his family. He took his team onto court for a curtain call like no other.
One final wave, one final smile, one last look.
And that was it.
