Documentary ‘Federer: Twelve Final Days’ streams on Prime Video
Summer is the time for the Tennis Grand Slam tournaments. The Australian Open was in January when it was summer down under. Next came the French Open from May to June. Wimbledon (many say the cream of the crop) took place the first two weeks in July. And the final Grand Slam of the year, the U.S. Open, is set for Aug. 26 through Sept. 8.
For tennis fans, these are the main events. However, there are several other tournaments scattered throughout the year. Utah hosts several USTA tournaments for adults and juniors during the summer.
Every generation has tennis greats. On the men’s side, Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe battled each other in the late ’70s and early ’80s. There was also Rod Laver in the 1960s, Jimmy Connors in the 1970s, Andre Agassi in the 1980s and Pete Sampras in the 1990s. Currently, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray are at the top of the heap.
Considered the best player and possibly the best sportsman of all time, Roger Federer won 20 Grand Slam Tournaments, which included eight Wimbledon tourneys, five U.S. Open tourneys and one French Open, and he holds the title for six Australian Opens.
“Federer: Twelve Final Days” documents the grand finale of Federer’s illustrious career. It begins with him recording his retirement letter, which was to be sent out to the public a couple days from then. In the meantime, he quietly informed his closest friends about his decision, which was not made in haste. After several injuries and operations, he knew he was not competing at his best and wanted to go out on top. He actually did not want to go out, but considering his physical liabilities, he knew this was the right decision.
His final tournament was to be a doubles match with his partner Rafael Nadal at the Laver Cup where Europe (captained by Bjorn Borg) took on the World (captained by John McEnroe).
As the final match draws near, the end of his professional career weighs heavily on Federer, who admits he is happy to be able to spend more time with his family. It is a bittersweet ending to an illustrious career.
Watching Federer play was like watching ballet dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov, it is said in the film. He played with finesse and made moves that astounded the fans and even his opponents.
What comes through mainly in this documentary is the friendship and camaraderie that exists between the players. They are all on his side even though they must play against him. The rivalry on the court does not exist off the court. These men are friends and would do anything for each other when they are not playing against each other. That’s something political rivals should learn. Off the topic – in the 1950s and ’60s, both sides of the political aisle were friends outside of the Senate and House chambers, but today everyone is a foe whether they are doing business or off duty. They need to take a lesson from these professional athletes.
“Federer: Twelve Final Days” is a fitting tribute to the end of this remarkable career, and, as Roger says, he won’t be going away. He will only be stopping his competitive career. He also said he was happy to be the first of his group to leave since he is the oldest of the foursome of Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Murray. Murray has announced that this summer will be his final season. Injuries and surgeries are taking their toll on these men, but even as they leave, they leave us with hours of memorable matches and heroic efforts on the court.
“Federer: Twelve Final Days” streams on Prime Video.