The final days of Roger Federer’s career are set to feature in a new intimate documentary that was “never intended” to be seen by the public. Originally filmed for Federer to relive his retirement with his friends and family, the feature-length documentary will be released on Prime Video. It features interviews with the Swiss star’s long-time rivals Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray.
Federer famously retired at the Laver Cup in 2022, staged in London’s O2 Arena. With his biggest rivals by his side as part of Team Europe, the 20-time Grand Slam champion said goodbye to his career by playing doubles with Nadal. Federer remained in the squad all weekend, cheering on his teammates from the bench.
Fans will now be able to get a personal look at Federer’s emotional retirement as a documentary chronicling the final 12 days of his career will premiere on Prime Video. The 103-time title winner will be seen at his “most vulnerable and candid self, as he says goodbye to a game and the fans that shaped his life for the last two decades.”
Federer also “provides unprecedented access” to his relationships with Nadal, Djokovic and Murray, who all feature in the documentary. Directed by Academy Award winner Asif Kapadia and Joe Sabia, the project was initially meant to be a home video that the public never got to see.
“Initially, the idea was to capture the final moments of my professional tennis career so that I could have it later on to show my family and friends,” Federer explained. “During my career, I tended to shy away from having cameras around me and my family, especially during important moments. But I didn’t see the harm in shooting this as it was never intended for the public.”
Explaining his decision to turn it into a documentary for Prime Video, he added: “However, we captured so many powerful moments, and it transformed into a deeply personal journey. I am happy to be partnering with Prime Video because of their vast global reach and significant presence in the film industry. This ensures that the story of my final days in tennis will resonate with both tennis enthusiasts and broader audiences worldwide.”
Federer’s retirement came after a two-and-a-half-year struggle with a knee injury. The former world No. 1 ended his 2020 season shortly after the Australian Open and had two surgeries. He returned in March 2021 at the Doha Open and played just five tournaments, going 9-4 in matches.
The 42-year-old ended his season after Wimbledon to have a third surgery but ahead of the 2022 Laver Cup, he announced that he had to listen to his body and retire. His last dance came at the team tournament that he co-founded, as he joined Nadal, Murray, Djokovic, Casper Ruud, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Matteo Berrettini and Cameron Norrie on Team Europe. They were defeated by Team World, who won the trophy for the first time in the tournament’s history.
