All you need to know about Amazon's Roger Federer documentary

Publish date: 2024-07-24

One of the grandest global tennis icons, Roger Federer is all set to have a new documentary on his career. For all his fans around the world, this news is likely to put them on cloud nine.

According to recent reports, streaming juggernaut Amazon Prime Video is gearing up to make a movie based on Roger Federer’s retirement. All of us have missed watching the Swiss maestro on our television sets ever since he bid adieu to the sport; so fans’ spirited anticipation of this documentary is understandable.

Federer retired from tennis after the 2022 Laver Cup.

A true ambassador of the sport, he will join the ranks of Lionel Messi, David Beckham, Pele, Diego Maradona, and a host of other sporting superstars who have their tales narrated by documentaries.

So, in case you share our level of excitement about his upcoming documentary, here is everything you need to know about Roger Federer’s new featurette on Amazon Prime Video.

All about the new Amazon Prime Video Roger Federer documentary

Will the documentary capture his entire journey and career?

As one of the biggest celebrities of the 21st century, Roger Federer needs no introduction. Yet there are certain chapters of his life and story, along with a few personal anecdotes, which are not available in the public domain. However, reports have suggested that the tennis star is not ready to tell the full story of his life or career; at this point, he is said to prefer a more focused narrative.

Keeping this in mind, it is safe to assume that the documentary on Federer is going to be different in style than what we usually get to see. But which phase of his life is the former tennis player choosing to highlight in front of the masses?

Those who are familiar with the 73 Questions franchise will remember it as an interview mainstay. The brainchild of Joe Sabia, the digital series features popular rapid-fire questions asked on a singular take, proffering a genuine glimpse into the lives and homes of celebrities. In 2022, Federer approached the American video content producer to capture his final moments on the tennis court.

Sabia gleefully obliged, filming Federer’s time at the 2022 Laver Cup, which included his games alongside long-time rivals Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray, with whom he formed the hallowed quartet in tennis. Originally meant to be a home movie, the clips bore the potential to become something bigger and better. To that end, Federer and his team then decided they would use the content for a documentary.

“It’s a snapshot of my life over those 12 days, which is pretty hardcore and interesting,” the tennis star said in an interview. For the documentary, Federer, who seldom grants access to his lodgings, allowed the filmmakers into both his hotel room and his house. Interestingly, his wife also gave an interview for the first time in over a decade.

Will we get to see a peek of Federer’s greatest on-court rivalries?

Even though the movie will stay focused on his retirement, no narrative on Roger Federer’s career is complete without the mention of his celebrated rivalries on the court.

While filming Federer’s last moments before retiring from tennis, Joe Sabia conducted one-on-one interviews with Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray. The resultant footage, in the opinion of the filmmakers, tell a lot about Federer’s relationship with his adversaries.

Even though he played Djokovic more often, especially in the 2010s, Federer shared his greatest rivalry with Nadal. The two ruled over tennis for a long time. They have faced each other 40 times, including 14 matches at Grand Slams. Owing to his superior record at the French Open, Nadal held an impressive 10-4 advantage over the Swiss maestro.

“It’s a very personal film,” Federer said. “It’s looking deep into another layer of the tennis tour — how the camaraderie is a good one on the tour. Yes, here are rivalries, but off the court, there are friendships and respect.”

Who is the director of the Roger Federer documentary and when is its release date?

As a part of its rapidly expanding sports documentary collection, Amazon Prime Video acquired the rights to make the project based on Joe Sabia’s footage. The streaming corporation roped in British filmmaker Asif Kapadia, the brain behind documentaries like Senna (2010) and Diego Maradona (2019).

To date, there has been no official announcement regarding the exact release date of the Roger Federer documentary. However, some reports indicate the movie is likely to be streamed by Amazon Prime Video in July 2024. This makes sense as the Wimbledon Open takes place in July. It will serve as poetic justice to Federer’s legacy, who holds the record for the most singles titles (eight) in this competition.

This article first appeared on Augustman Hong Kong.

(Main and featured images: Roger Federer/Instagram)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

– When will Roger Federer’s documentary be released?

There has been no official announcement regarding the release date of the Roger Federer documentary. However, reports suggest that the movie will be available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video in July 2024, around the time of the Wimbledon Open.

The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.