Local hope Brandon Nakashima will take on Marcos Giron in the San Diego Open final after the latter shocked top seed Daniel Evans in Saturday's semi-finals.

World number 58 Giron upset Evans 6-3 7-5 in one hour and 46 minutes, qualifying for his maiden ATP Tour final.

San Diego native Nakashima progressed into the decider after getting past Australian Christopher O'Connell 6-4 7-6 (7-3).

Nakashima's triumph means he is into his first tour-level final of the season and it has come in familiar territory.

The fifth seed needed one hour and 50 minutes to beat O'Connell, who had the edge in the key statistics, including 8-7 aces, 34-31 winners and 13-16 unforced errors.

But Nakashima came up big when it mattered, managing the only break of the match in the first set, before triumphing in a tiebreak.

Giron produced the surprise result against world number 25 Evans, who was chasing his first-ever ATP Tour title.

The American sent down 11 aces, while he also hit 40-25 winners. Evans was unable to convert any of the three break points he generated throughout the match.

Stan Wawrinka abandoned his first ATP semi-final for over two years as the veteran Swiss bowed out of the Moselle Open on Saturday.

The 37-year-old was taking on Kazakhstan's Alexander Bublik and trailed 2-1 in the opening set when he decided he would be unable to complete the match.

Bublik had broken serve and led 40-30 in the fourth game when Wawrinka approached the net and told the umpire he had to stop.

Wawrinka has been battling a thigh injury that appeared to be the cause of his withdrawal, meaning the three-time grand slam champion, now ranked a lowly 284th, could not push on with his quest for a first ATP Tour title in five years. His most recent semi-final appearance, prior to this run in Metz, had come in Doha at the start of 2020.

Italy's Lorenzo Sonego awaits Bublik in Sunday's final after he sank the hopes of Polish second seed Hubert Hurkacz in the first semi-final.

Unseeded Sonego took the win 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 and will be chasing a third ATP title, after previous triumphs in Antalya in 2019 and Cagliari last year.

Bublik, the seventh seed this week, has just one previous singles title, earning that success in February of this year in Montpellier.

Roger Federer "made the whole world dream" through his tennis, French football great Zinedine Zidane said on Saturday.

The Swiss superstar contested his final match on Friday night in London, as he bowed out at the age of 41, accepting knee trouble in recent years would not allow him to carry on.

Zidane's last match as a player famously ended in a headbutt, a red card and crushing disappointment in the 2006 World Cup final, as France lost out to Italy on penalties in Berlin.

That was a far cry from the celebratory scenes at the O2 where 20-time grand slam winner Federer exited in a hail of adulation and high emotion, as the man from Basle broke down in a flood of tears on court.

The poignancy came after Federer lost alongside Rafael Nadal in a Laver Cup doubles clash with Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe, a low-stakes occasion compared to Zidane's swan song.

Both Zidane and Federer played their sport with maverick and artistic tendencies that set them apart from many of their peers, while also winning a stack of trophies.

Zidane had two spells as Real Madrid boss after hanging up his boots following a playing spell at the Santiago Bernabeu, and he hopes there are great opportunities awaiting Federer too.

"Today you are stepping into another world. I wish you a second part of life as rich as the first," Zidane wrote on Instagram.

"Thank you Roger, you made the whole world dream! And you remained profoundly the same. Thank you Roger, the great class."

Roger Federer has thanked fans and fellow players for providing him with a "magical" send-off at the end of his glittering professional career on Friday.

The 20-time grand slam champion brought the curtain down on his incredible career in a doubles match alongside Rafael Nadal at the Laver Cup in London, facing off against American duo Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe.

Although Federer and Nadal fell to a 4-6 7-6 (7-2) 11-9 loss, the Swiss maestro was given a hero's reception at the O2 Arena, and old rival Nadal joined him in shedding a tear after the match.

Immediately afterwards, Federer joked he was simply glad to have avoided injury and described his career as a "perfect journey".

Federer then expressed his appreciation for everyone involved on Saturday, writing on Twitter: "It was a magical evening yesterday. 

"Thank you again to all the players and fans who were here to share this moment with me. It means the world."

Speaking at a news conference after his send-off, Federer described it as "all happiness".

"The match, yes, in itself, sure, is special," he said. "But it's really everything that happened after, because I wasn't aware who was going to come to sing, what was going to happen, where I should go, what was expected of me, or how long it was going to go.

"Then I guess looking around and seeing how everybody got emotional, obviously it's even better, or even worse, I'm not sure what to say.

"The last two days have been tough to say the least. Thankfully, in moments, I totally forgot about it, slept great, everything was wonderful, I could enjoy it. 

"Because of that, I think I will be able to have a better recollection of how it went, because if it's all just stress throughout and I want it to be only perfect, I know I will remember half of it.

"I didn't have fireworks in my head where I see my career flashing by, all the things I'm going to miss. It was hard for me making phone calls, letting people know that this decision is happening. There I felt pain, but now, tonight was all happiness."

Meanwhile, Federer has refused to rule out taking part in exhibition matches in the future, stating his desire to allow more of his fans to see him in action one last time.

"The message from me was just making sure I relay my passion for the sport to the fans, and I let them know that hopefully we'll see each other again on a different type of tennis court," he added.

"I have no plans whatsoever, where, how, when. All I know [is] I would love to go and play places I have never played before or go say thank you for years to come to all the people that have been so supportive of me.

"Because the hard part about the Laver Cup was that tickets were already sold out. The people who maybe would have also loved to be here couldn't make it. 

"Maybe there is another way down the stretch we can party all together."

Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from the Laver Cup after being paired with Roger Federer for the final match of the Swiss star's career on Friday.

Federer had announced he would be retiring following the tournament and was then only fit to feature in one doubles match.

But that gave the Swiss great the opportunity to team up with Nadal, with the duo falling to a narrow and entertaining 4-6 7-6 (7-2) 11-9 loss to Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe at the O2 Arena.

That defeat marked the end of Federer's involvement in the Laver Cup, and Nadal's participation is over for this year, too.

Nadal has been dealing with an abdominal injury in the second half of this season, with the issue notably seeing him miss a Wimbledon semi-final against Nick Kyrgios.

However, the Laver Cup, announcing the Spaniard's absence from the weekend's play on Saturday, made no reference to any ailment, saying he had pulled out "for personal reasons".

Cameron Norrie took Nadal's place in the tournament and was set to face Taylor Fritz.

A tearful Rafael Nadal said "an important part of my life is leaving" after partnering Roger Federer for the final match of the Swiss great's career at the Laver Cup in London.

The last match of Federer's career saw him partner with his great rival Nadal to play doubles for Team Europe on Friday, taking on American duo Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe at the O2 Arena.

Despite taking the first set, Nadal and Federer ultimately fell to an entertaining 4-6 7-6 (7-2) 11-9 loss before watching a series of tributes to the Swiss maestro, who also had an on-court interview and was embraced by his team-mates, opponents, family and friends.

Nadal, one of just two male players with more grand slam wins than Federer's 20 (22, also Novak Djokovic with 21), was seen to be in tears as he sat next to the retiring star during the post-match tributes.

During the match, he also showed signs of nerves due to the scale of the occasion and later declared he would hugely miss his long-time rival. 

"It has been a difficult day to handle every single thing, and at the end everything became super emotional," Nadal said. 

"For me, it has been a huge honour to be a part of this amazing moment of the history of our sport. 

"When Roger leaves the tour, an important part of my life is leaving too because of all the moments that he has been next to me or in front of me in important moments of my life.

"So, I have been emotional to see the family, see all the people. Difficult to describe, but amazing moment."

Top seed Daniel Evans is through to the last four at the San Diego Open after defeating Constant Lestienne 6-1 6-3 in Friday's quarter-final

It was perhaps a closer contest than the final score indicates, with Evans creating 13 break point opportunities while Lestienne created 11, but the Englishman was able to save 10 of the 11 he faced while converting five himself.

Ultimately the difference between the two players was Evans' ability to avoid wasteful errors, posting 23 winners with 12 unforced errors while Lestienne had 15 winners with 21 unforced errors.

Evans will play third seed Marcos Giron for a spot in the final after the American beat Australia's James Duckworth 7-6 (7-5) 6-3.

It was a match that was decided by the efficiency of Giron, who was more accurate with his serve, landing 59 per cent of his first serves fair compared to 47 per cent for Duckworth.

The Australian actually created more break point chances – eight to three – but while he converted two of his eight chances, Giron turned all three into breaks.

While the top half of the draw played out as the seeding predicted, there was an upset in the late window as Christopher O'Connell eliminated second seed Jenson Brooksby 6-4 4-6 7-5.

The Australian had a clear serving advantage, smacking 14 aces compared to four for Brooksby, and he also racked up a massive 50 winners with 16 unforced errors. Brooksby had 24 winners with 21 unforced errors.

Despite being the better shot-maker on the day, O'Connell had to save two match points to keep his chances alive, and then broke Brooksby as the American tried to serve it out, rattling off four consecutive games to end the match.

O'Connell will face Brandon Nakashima in the semi-final after he emerged victorious 6-3 4-6 6-4 against Daniel Elahi Galan.

Nakashima has now won five of his past six matches, with the only loss in that stretch coming against Jannik Sinner in the US Open.

An emotional Roger Federer bid farewell to the game he loves following Friday's Laver Cup doubles loss alongside long-time rival Rafael Nadal, calling his send-off "exactly what I hoped for".

Federer and Nadal went head-to-head with American duo Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe in the 20-time grand slam champion's last ever match, but after taking the first set, the megastars lost a second-set tie-break as well as the match tie-break for a 4-6 7-6 (7-2) 11-9 result.

The 41-year-old was then given the stage to reflect on his incredible journey to becoming one of the greatest players to ever grace the court.

After sharing his fear that he would not be able to get any words out due to the emotions of the moment, he said it was a perfect way to wrap up a perfect career.

"It's been a wonderful day," he said. "I told the guys I'm happy, I'm not sad. It feels great to be here, and I enjoyed tying my shoes one more time, and everything was the last time.

"Funny enough, with all the matches, and having the guys, and being here with fans, family and friends – I didn't feel the stress so much, even though I did think something was going to go. Pop a calf, or lock my back or something.

"I'm so happy to make it through, the match was great, I couldn't be happier. It's been wonderful.

"Of course, playing with Rafa on the same team, and having the guys all here, the legends… thank you."

With Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray among those in the Team Europe corner, Federer said it was a special feeling to get to share his finish line with other icons of the sport.

"It's amazing, it really is," he said. "I didn't want it to feel lonely out there… to be saying goodbye in a team, I always felt I was a team player at heart.

"Singles doesn't really do that a whole lot, but I've had a team that travels with me around the world, that's been amazing with them.

"It does feel like a celebration to me. I wanted to feel like this at the end, and it's exactly what I hoped for, so thank you."

When asked to reflect on his legacy and standing in the game, Federer became overwhelmed with emotion, saying "it was never supposed to be that way".

"I was just happy to play tennis, and spend time with my friends really," he said. "And it ends here. It has been a perfect journey and I would do it all over again.

"It's been great. It's been so much fun. It's been amazing."

A tearful Roger Federer bid goodbye to a 25-year career with defeat at the Laver Cup in a doubles contest that went past midnight in London.

Federer teamed with long-time rival Rafael Nadal against American duo Frances Tiafoe and Jack Sock as Team Europe face Team World at the O2 Arena.

After winning the first set, the Swiss and the Spaniard were faced with a spirited fightback from Tiafoe and Sock, who won a second-set tie-break before also clinching the match tie-break to seal victory 4-6 7-6 (7-2) 11-9.

There had been a great atmosphere in London on Friday for the fifth edition of the three-day competition.

Federer, 41, had not played a match since he was knocked out of Wimbledon by Hubert Hurkacz at the quarter-final stage last year due to knee injury.

There were huge cheers when Federer and Nadal came onto the court and loud roars for the Swiss great when he came up with his first winner.

There was a sensational moment in the first set when Federer appeared to have won a point after his shot hit the top of the net and bounced in, only for a replay to show the ball had somehow been hit through a small hole between the net and the post, meaning Team Europe lost the point, despite the remarkably unlikely event of the ball passing through such a gap.

Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray were among Federer and Nadal's team-mates offering some tactical input between games, and the legendary duo had to save a first break point of the match before the Spaniard held to put them 5-4 up.

It was two of the all-time greats that took a tight opening set when Sock put a volley into the net, prompting Team World captain John McEnroe to tell his doubles pair they appeared to be getting "caught up in the hoopla." 

A determined Team World managed to level it up after a back-and-forth second set went to a tie-break, with Tiafoe and Sock coming out on top with their superior power and pace.

That took it to a dramatic deciding match tie-break, with every point keeping fans holding their breath, including some trademark Federer magic at 6-7 when he diverted a Sock shot across court for a crowd-pleasing winner.

It looked like the dream script was being followed as Federer served at match point for himself and Nadal, but the former could only hit a shot into the net, before Sock and Tiafoe won the next two points to secure the win for Team World.

It was then hugs all round as respect was paid to the 20-time grand slam winner at the conclusion of a phenomenal career. 

Earlier in the day, Casper Ruud drew first blood for the Team Europe, beating Sock 6-4 5-7 10-7, before Stefanos Tsitsipas doubled their advantage with an emphatic 6-2 6-1 defeat of Diego Schwartzman.

There was drama after the first set of that second singles match when a protester, wearing a T-shirt with the message, "END UK PRIVATE JETS" on, set their arm alight on court before being escorted out by security. 

Alex de Minaur then got Team World on the board with a 5-7 6-3 10-7 success over home favourite Murray before the late-night main event under the lights.

Stanislas Wawrinka edged closer to a first ATP Tour title in five years after edging Mikael Ymer in a thriller to reach the Moselle Open semi-finals.

On the same day fellow countryman Roger Federer would hang up his racquet at the Laver Cup, Wawrinka was forced to go all the way by his opponent in Metz, eventually winning 6-4 4-6 7-6 (7-5).

The three-time grand slam champion, whose injury struggles and form have seen him tumble to 284 in the world rankings, served up seven aces to Ymer's two, and made no double faults.

Victory moves him into the last four, where he will meet seventh seed Alexander Bublik after the Kazakh saw off Holger Rune in another three-set encounter with a 6-3 5-7 6-4 win.

Defending champion Hubert Hurkacz is also through to the semi-finals after making quick work of home favourite Arthur Rinderknech, winning 6-3 6-2.

The world number 10 will face Lorenzo Sonego next after the Italian also came through his quarter-final in straight sets against Sebastian Korda.

A protester set their arm alight on court after breaching Laver Cup security at London's O2 Arena on the day of Roger Federer's final tennis match.

The incident occurred after the first set of the singles contest between Team Europe's Stefanos Tsitsipas and Team World's Diego Schwartzman.

The person who dashed onto the indoor court was wearing a white T-shirt that carried the message, "END UK PRIVATE JETS".

Another item on the court was also ablaze by the time security reached the person.

The protester put out the flames on their right arm, while a tournament official quickly smothered the fire on the court.

The End UK Private Jets campaign group said on its Twitter page: "Kai, 20, set their arm on fire at #LaverCup. The liveable climate of our planet is collapsing. No one is taking it seriously. Is humanity not worth saving? Let's get into resistance against this death machine."

Swiss great Federer was due in action later in the day in doubles, teaming up with Rafael Nadal for the last match of his career, as they took on Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe.

Rafael Nadal is "definitely the next on the list" to retire as middle age catches up with the 'Big Three' of men's tennis, according to Marion Bartoli.

Former Wimbledon champion Bartoli expects Nadal to call it a day in 2023, following the lead of Roger Federer who has chosen the Laver Cup as his farewell tournament.

This weekend's showpiece in London is marking the end of the Swiss great's stellar career, after complications with a knee injury left the 41-year-old resigned to his fate.

Amid the attention on Federer, conversation is turning to how long his great rivals might have left at the top, with Nadal's ongoing foot trouble seemingly making him a prime candidate to step off the tour and give his body a rest.

Speaking to Stats Perform, Bartoli said: "I think he's very much definitely thinking about retirement. His wife is also about to give birth to his first child; that's a huge change in life for anybody.

"And he very much has his fair amount of injuries as well over the years, and especially lately with his foot which is really something that can stop him at any moment from now on.

"I think he will give it another chance at Roland Garros next year, but I don't see him going further than 2023. I think that would be probably about it. I think Rafa is closer to retirement than Novak.

"I think Novak has been able, with being vegan and taking care of his body and obviously because of COVID reasons, he hasn't played that much for the last three years really."

Nadal and Djokovic have inched ahead of Federer on the list of men's all-time grand slam singles champions. Federer was the first to reach 20, but Djokovic has 21 now and Nadal leads the way with a haul of 22 majors.

Bartoli, who was a shock Wimbledon winner in 2013, pointed out that Djokovic, who at 35 is a year younger than Nadal, could have several years left to push the slam record ever higher.

"He monitors those records so badly that I think he will be probably more looking to 2024, maybe 2025 [for his retirement]," Bartoli said of the Serbian. "I think Rafa is definitely the next one on the list."

Bartoli expects Djokovic to finish top of the pile in the men's game, providing he is allowed to compete at future editions of the Australian Open and US Open, having been barred from both in 2022 because of his refusal to accept a COVID-19 vaccination.

"From a tennis analytics point of view, and looking obviously at the strengths of Novak on hardcourts and at the Australian Open and at Wimbledon, it looks like he will end up at the top," said the Frenchwoman.

"But then the problem is about the vaccine, and this is something I just can't reply on. Because if he keeps on having only two chances out of four every single year, that's a totally different story.

"So there is that question mark on such an important thing. If he plays four out of four every single year, yes, I think he will finish on top of everybody. If he can play a full schedule because everything reopened normally then I sincerely think he's going to end up on the top."

Djokovic is hopeful he will be allowed into Australia in January of next year, having been deported from Melbourne at the beginning on this season amid high controversy.

There was previously considered to be a 'Big Four' at the peak of the men's game, but Andy Murray could not keep pace with the slam-winning feats of his rivals.

Bartoli said she remembered how "the whole country exploded" in Britain when Murray won in 2013 at Wimbledon, a first home champion in the men's singles for 77 years.

She was "so happy" Murray could carry on his career after undergoing hip surgery, having at one point planned to retire after Wimbledon in the 2019 season.

Now Bartoli suspects three-time slam champion Murray, 35, could last longer than Nadal on the ATP Tour.

"His fitness level has really improved, so I think he looks to retire for me further than Rafa," Bartoli said. "I think Rafa will be the first one, and probably Andy and then Novak."

Top seed Daniel Evans eased into the San Diego Open quarter-finals with a straight-sets victory over Taro Daniel on Thursday.

The Briton, who was beaten by Marin Cilic last month in the US Open third round, triumphed 6-4 6-4 in one hour and 38 minutes over Daniel.

World number 25 Evans was not broken once despite Daniel generating four break points, while the Briton only had nine unforced errors for the match, hitting 19 winners.

Evans' return was excellent throughout, while he won 64 per cent on his second serve, which held him in good stead as he looks to claim a career-first ATP title after making August's Canadian Open semi-finals.

Evans will take on Frenchman Constant Lestienne who made light work of Chilean Alejandro Tabilo 6-1 6-3, converting five of eight break points.

Fifth seed Brandon Nakashima triumphed in the late game, getting past fellow American Denis Kudla 6-3 6-4 in one hour and 16 minutes, in a fine display that included 12 aces, 25 winners and only five unforced errors.

Fourth seed Pedro Martinez was the major casualty of the day, letting slip an early lead to lose 5-7 6-1 6-4 to Colombian Daniel Elahi Galan in almost three hours. Galan hit 44 winners compared to Martinez's 28, while he also generated 18 break points.

Eighth seed J.J. Wolf was also bundled out, losing 6-3 7-5 to Australian Christopher O'Connell who sent down 12 aces and hit 23 winners.

Second seed and world number 50 Jenson Brooksby needed almost two hours to get past countryman Mackenzie McDonald 6-4 3-6 6-2.

Daniil Medvedev succumbed to second-round defeat against Stan Wawrinka at the Moselle Open on Thursday, while Hubert Hurkacz coasted past Dominic Thiem.

World number four Medvedev fell to a 6-4 6-7 (7-9) 6-3 loss against three-time major winner Wawrinka, who will next meet Mikael Ymer after his straight-sets win over home favourite Gregoire Barrere.

Second seed Hurkacz did not experience such struggles against Thiem as the Pole cruised to a 6-3 6-4 as he served 12 aces in a dominant performance in Metz.

Hurkacz will face Arthur Rinderknech in the next round after the Frenchman battled to a 7-6 (13-11) 6-3 triumph over fifth seed Nikoloz Basilashvili.

Alexander Bublik, the seventh favourite in France, was also made to work for his progress to the quarter-finals, downing Emil Ruusuvuori 6-7 (4-7) 6-4 6-3.

Fourth seed Holger Rune awaits Bublik after Benjamin Bonzi retired due to injury when 6-4 4-1 down against the Dane.

Lorenzo Sonego coasted through his second-round clash to defeat Gilles Simon 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 to tee up a last-eight clash with Sebastian Korda.

Rafael Nadal is thrilled to have the chance to play alongside the retiring Roger Federer in the Laver Cup on Friday.

Swiss ace Federer will partner fellow all-timer Nadal in the doubles, the man from Basle bringing an end to an illustrious career in the company of his greatest rival.

The prospect of being a team-mate on court with Federer in London is something that will be "unforgettable" for Nadal.

"After all the amazing things that we shared together on and off the court, to be part of this historic moment, it's going to be something amazing and unforgettable for me," Nadal said in Thursday's press conference.

"I hope I can have a good time playing at a decent level and hopefully together we can create a good moment and maybe win a match.

"But I hope that the crowd will be supporting a lot. I'm super excited to be here with the team and of course to be on the court and having Roger next to me one more time will be something that I am very looking forward to.

"We were able to create an amazing rivalry together, and on the other hand, something that we are probably very proud [to have had], I have been a friendly rival which is not easy sometimes because we are playing for such important things for our tennis careers.

"But at the same time, we were able to understand that in the end personal relationships are more important than sometimes professional things, and we were able to handle it I think the proper way.

"Tomorrow it's going to be a special thing. I think it will be difficult to handle everything, especially for Roger, without a doubt, but for me too. One of the most important players, if not the most important player, in my tennis career is leaving and to leave at this moment will be difficult."

Federer is also looking forward to the match and partnering with Nadal, though he concedes it will be a difficult test as the Team Europe pair tackle Team World's Frances Tiafoe and Jack Sock.

"Of course, it's super special playing with Rafa," Federer said.

"It feels really different. Also just walking out on the court and having the chance to play with the likes of Rafa or Novak also in the past has been an amazing experience for me.

"So, to be able to do that one more time, I'm sure it's going to be wonderful. I'll try my very best and I hope to be good out there. And of course, I'll enjoy it but it will be hard."