Federer: The Last Twelve Days
In an unprecedented streak of watching sports-related content, I went from watching The Last Dance to Federer: The Last Twelve Days. As a longtime Federer fan, this documentary was a bittersweet watch.
I'm always happy to watch that elegant backhand and the graceful presence of Federer on the tennis court. The documentary didn't have nearly enough of that - in fact, the time spent on press conferences may have been slightly more than the tennis highlights. Yet, there was just enough tennis, and enough of Federer playing it, that it felt satisfying.
My sense is, and I'm sure this opinion is shared by many, that Federer played for longer than he probably should have, and longer than he could sustain a high enough level of play. Having just finished the Michael Jordan show, I can't help but compare the two - MJ, who left at the peak of his powers after a historic second three-peat, and Federer, whose final match was a doubles loss at the Laver Cup. It also leads me to wonder about the emphasis we put on the endings of these stories. Sporting careers are not scripted movies or TV. There's a reason they're called "fairytale endings".
When it comes to sportspeople and their careers, I'm convinced that it's the journey and not the destination. My core Federer memory is watching that 5th set of the 2017 Australian Open final against Rafael Nadal. It's one of the most extraordinary comebacks I've witnessed. That, along with the other wonderful moments in his career, form the journey that matter so much more than a doubles loss to Frances Tiafoe and Jack Sock.
If you haven't read it before, I wholeheartedly recommend this article by David Foster Wallace: Federer as Religious Experience. It puts into words the magnificence that is watching Roger Federer ply (play?) his craft.