"A genius, unique in the history of tennis and an example for any athlete" - Lionel Messi lauds Roger Federer

Football icon Lionel Messi has lavished praise on Roger Federer, calling him an example for other athletes.

The Swiss great has announced that the upcoming Laver Cup, to be held in London from September 23-25, will be the final tennis competition of his illustrious career.

Since the news broke on Thursday, many have paid rich tributes to the global icon and Messi has followed suit. The Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) attacker recently posted a picture of the 20-time Grand Slam on Instagram, with the caption reading:

"A genius, unique in the history of tennis and an example for any athlete. All the best in your new stage, we will miss seeing you on the court making us enjoy, @rogerfederer."

"For me you have always been an example to follow for determination and professionalism" - Gianluigi Buffon on Roger Federer

Gianluigi Buffon also paid tribute to Roger Federer

Lionel Messi wasn't the only footballer to pay tribute to Roger Federer as legendary goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon also had a heartfelt message for the former World No. 1.

The Italian posted a picture of the Swiss on Instagram on Thursday, expressing his respect and admiration towards him.

"Figuring out when it's time to say enough is hard. I can only imagine what was going through your head these hours and how much strength you had to make that decision. As you know very well, I’ve never hidden the respect and admiration I have for you," Buffon wrote.

The 44-year-old also hailed Federer's determination, professionalism, class and mental strength, stating that those qualities made him a winner on and off the court.

"You said that "tennis was good to you", but let me tell you that you were even more so. Not only towards the game but with the whole sports world in general. For me you have always been an example to follow for determination and professionalism. Your class and mental strength has led you to be a winner on and off the court," Buffon wrote.

"Next week everyone will be celebrating and applauding you on what will be special and exciting days. For you, for all sports lovers and for me too. Your friend, Gigi," Buffon concluded.

Roger Federer will compete at the Laver Cup as part of Team Europe, which has some big names in Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Casper Ruud, and Stefanos Tsitsipas.

The Swiss will be eager to put on a show at the O2 Arena in London in what will be his swansong in tennis. Federer hasn't lost a singles match at the Laver Cup so far and it will be interesting to see how he fares this time around.