Strokes of Genius: Riveting documentary on Rafael Nadal & Roger Federer's eternal rivalry

Former Wimbledon champion John McEnroe makes an emphatic observation at the beginning of the documentary Strokes of Genius- “I have seen a lot of tennis matches. I have commented and played a lot…There is no question in my mind overall, that the 2008 Wimbledon match between Rafa and Roger was the greatest tennis match ever.”

Based on L. Jon Wertheim's book of the same name, the documentary narrates the rivalry between tennis greats Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal through the lenses of the 5-set epic match at the Wimbledon final in 2008.

Getting to play in the Centre Court of Wimbledon is the biggest dream for any tennis player. Given the tradition and legacy of the oldest grand slam tournament, the players give their best despite the short duration of the grass-court season in a year.

Wimbledon has often been called ‘Federer’s house’. In the final, Federer entered as the five-time defending champion, having defeated Nadal twice in the previous editions of Wimbledon.

In a match that clocked 4 hours and 48 minutes of play, witnessed two rain delays and faced a possibility of postponement to next day due to bad light, it was Nadal who defied all odds and ultimately prevailed over Federer in the classic.

Narrated through smart usage of archival footage from the match, the documentary captures the intimate mood of the match.

The documentary traces back to the finalists' childhood and showcases their journey as tennis players. It rightly spends most of its runtime exploring their virtues given the individual nature of the sport. It also draws a parallel with two other legendary rivalries: Chris Evert-Martina Navratilova and John McEnroe-Bjorn Borg. This allows the audience to get a deeper insight into how two rivals make each better players. Both Federer and Nadal recount the memories of the final and narrate their experiences on the court.

The documentary's core focus, however, is on the rivalry's impact on Federer and Nadal individually. The 2008 Wimbledon match laid the foundation of the great rivalry and reinforced their passion for the game thereafter. 

On their rivalry, former Wimbledon Champion Chris Evert puts it clearly in the documentary, “The key to a great rivalry is contrast.” Both Federer and Nadal have been considered ‘polar opposites’ when it comes to personality, temperament, intensity or playing style.

The documentary doesn't shy away from the fact that not all matches define a rivalry between two athletes. There will always be predictable, one-sided matches even between two great players. But the 2008 Wimbledon final perhaps rewrote history in terms of rivalries and a new start for both players.

After the match, it became evident that Nadal is not just a clay court wonder. Federer's drive to achieve greater heights in the sport only increased. It also set a prime example of how athletes can push each other to the limits to reach the end goal. But at an emotional core, the documentary shows how the result of the match signified more than a winner. 

'Strokes of Genius' is now streaming on Discovery Plus.