Roger Federer's documentary contains a big irony that fans cannot ignore
If you have been living under a rock, Roger Federer's Prime Video documentary, Federer: Twelve Final Days dropped on June 20.
It is a must-see for tennis fans young and old because it is an unfiltered behind-the-scenes look at how Federer's career ended in September 2022 from his retirement announcement to the Laver Cup doubles match with Rafael Nadal.
Roger Federer shared some beautiful photos from his retirement
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) June 19, 2024
“Scrolling through my photo library & reminiscing about the 12 Final Days, it was an unforgettable farewell to professional tennis with all my amazing fans, friends and family in London” 🥹
pic.twitter.com/OOXxPS39XH
Fans will not be surprised about John McEnroe or Nadal's comments about the beauty of Roger's game, but they have to be struck by the irony of Federer's tell-all documentary.
"Athletes die twice"
Roger Federer alluded to how retirement from tennis felt like an ending to a huge part of his life. It is almost as if athletes die twice, once as their athletic careers end and once when their lives end.
While Federer is wrestling with his tennis mortality, the documentary heavily focuses on Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Andy Murray. Federer is glad he is retiring first because he is the oldest and admits the other three should have an opportunity to compete without him in the game as he did in the early stages of his career.
Next. Roger Federer dazzles at his Dartmouth commencement address. Roger Federer dazzles at his Dartmouth commencement address. dark
Federer believed these three players should have years of competitive tennis ahead of them as of September 2022. Less than two years later, we know that all three of them have dealt with major surgeries and health issues in recent months making everyone question their tennis mortality sooner than we may have expected.
Federer talked about how as a young player, he feared having surgeries because he always thought surgeries would be the end of his career which turned out to be the case. We cannot help but wonder about the surgeries that the other three have recently endured.
It is bittersweet that all three of Federer's closest peers are still in the game, but we do not know for how long. As sad as Federer's exit from the game was, the exit of these three players will mark the end of a great generation of tennis that we may never see the likes of again.
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