Athletes Die Twice: Retirement As A Death

Since I have been a Roger Federer fan for decades, I was eager to watch the new documentary Federer: Twelve Final Days. We get to watch Federer from the time he announces his retirement until he plays his final match at the Laver Cup. What we witness is how difficult it is for him to let go of his calling and identity for most of his life. Federer talks about his emotions at the end of his career and how he plans to still be associated with tennis in some way. He acknowledges how tennis has been so good to him.

The power in the documentary comes from how vulnerable and emotional Federer is willing to be in front of the camera, his team and friends, and his rivals. Unfortunately, many men in our society are discouraged from expressing their emotions. One particularly moving scene is at the end of the Laver Cup between him and his major competitor, Rafael Nadal. Both of them are emotional because Nadal realizes that part of his way of life is ending too. One person mentions how “athletes die twice”—once when they retire and again when they die.