Four years after hanging up his professional tennis racket for good, 20-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer is gearing up for a long-awaited, emotionally charged homecoming to one of the sport’s most iconic venues: New York’s Arthur Ashe Stadium. Speaking at a press conference Monday ahead of Tuesday night’s exhibition match, Federer opened up about what this special appearance means to him, revealing he jumped at the chance to finally give the New York fanbase that has supported him for decades the proper farewell they were never able to get.
Federer’s last competitive match at the US Open dates back to 2019, when he fell to Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov in the quarterfinals. At the time, he had every intention of returning to compete in future editions of the tournament, but a string of persistent injuries derailed those plans. He was forced to sit out the 2020 and 2021 tournaments, before playing his final professional match at the Laver Cup in September 2022, leaving New York fans without the ceremonial sendoff that other legends like Andre Agassi and Serena Williams received when they retired. This exhibition, held during the US Open’s annual ‘fan week’ ahead of the main tournament kicking off Sunday, will finally fill that gap.
Tuesday’s match will see Federer team up in a doubles exhibition against a roster of the sport’s all-time greats: former rivals Andy Roddick and Andre Agassi, alongside tennis icon John McEnroe. Combined, the four athletes have claimed an unprecedented 12 men’s singles US Open titles, bringing together a generation of tennis legends for one night of celebration. The appearance also comes ahead of a major milestone for Federer: his formal induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, scheduled for later this week in Newport, Rhode Island.
Federer noted that the timing of this return worked out perfectly for his family, as his four children — two sets of twins aged 12 and 17 — are now old enough to travel and experience their father playing on one of the sport’s biggest stages. “It really gives me a true opportunity to say thank you,” the 20-time major winner said of the event. Federer emphasized that the night will be low-key and focused on fun rather than intense competition: the match will not follow the grueling best-of-five set structure used in professional Grand Slam play, and he expects a relaxed, respectful tone that prioritizes celebration over competition. “I hope it’s going to be a lot of fun for us and the same for the fans to just see us back out playing,” he added.
Despite the excitement surrounding his return, Federer was firm in shutting down any speculation of a full professional comeback. When asked repeatedly if he would consider accepting a wildcard entry into the main 2024 US Open draw, Federer answered “no” no fewer than nine times, making clear that his competitive playing days are behind him. “There’s just way too many obstacles, and I’m too busy,” he explained. “All good and just just a fan now, just enjoying watching.”