Ivan Radford | On 06, Jul 2024

Director: Asif Kapadia, Joe Sabia
Cast: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic
Certificate: 12

From Amy Winehouse to Ayrton Senna, Asif Kapadia has proven that rare thing: a director whose name is defined by the way he disappears behind other people’s names. A master of the documentary format, he has an unparalleled ability to peel back the layers of a famous person to capture the essence of them beneath the headlines. That talent extended to living stars with 2019’s Maradona, and now he once again turns his lens to a sportsperson who is very much still with us: Roger Federer.

The tennis legend barely needs an introduction, so it’s fitting that Federer: Twelve Final Days chooses instead to focus on the ending: his last 12 days before he retires. It’s a smart move that brings an unexpected poignancy to its portrait of a sporting icon. We meet Federer as he announces his plan to retire, as he prepares to read a statement on camera and finds himself caught off guard by just how emotional he is. That tone continues through the next dozen days, building up to his final performance on the court in the 2022 Laver Cup.

The film was supposedly meant to be a home video at first, which gives you an idea of how close to hagiography it veers – giving a film crew access to your behind-the-scenes life rarely comes without caveats and compromise. And yet the access Kapadia and co-director Joe Sabia have is extraordinary, giving us not just a glimpse of the man but also his family. The result is a surprisingly, disarmingly vulnerable view of a man whose very image was defined by how clean-cut and perfect it was.

That was the hallmark of his tennis, too, as he sent shockwaves through Grand Slams and ATP tournaments alike by not only being naturally skilled but also barely seeming to sweat on court. We do get archive footage giving us highlights from his 90s and early 2000s appearances, but they’re refreshinigly not presented as brand new information – they’re context for who the man is now. Defined by his sporting prowess, the film asks the question: who is he if he isn’t playing any more? And what does he think himself about that?

There isn’t the witty depth of Maradona or the tragic impact of Senna or Amy, but what the documentary does capture is the genuine respect and camaraderie between the Big Four players who dominated tennis for years: Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray. While an event that sees them introduce each other before introducing Federer himself for a farewell speech is a little much, the footage before and after is adorable, as they joke and tease each other with an affection that’s endearing. It’s those candid volleys of warmth – particularly from Nadal – that make Federer: Twelve Final Days a worthy tribute to an incomparable champion. It’s a fond farewell to Federer and, you suspect, a golden era of tennis.

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