ROGER Federer admits he is nervous about his tennis ahead of his return to Arthur Ashe Stadium, where the 20-time Grand Slam champion will play an exhibition match Tuesday night (Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026, PH time) for the first time since 2019.
The Associated Press (AP) reported that Federer, 45, will play one singles set against Andy Roddick before teaming with John McEnroe in doubles against Roddick and Andre Agassi.
“I haven’t played a singles set in, I don’t know, (Hubert) Hurkacz at Wimbledon maybe, so it’s been five years,” Federer said Monday (Tuesday in PH), according to AP. “I don’t know how it’s going to go tomorrow. So there is a lot of uncertainty but a lot of happiness that I can return to Arthur Ashe, a place where I have had so many beautiful moments.”
Federer, who won five straight US Open titles from 2004 to 2008, quickly ruled out any possibility of returning to competitive tennis.
Asked if he could follow Venus and Serena Williams in competing at major tournaments in his mid-40s, Federer laughed and said, “No, no, no, no. No, not at all.”
Federer has rarely played tennis in recent years but remains fit and enjoys working out. His appearance in New York comes ahead of his induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, on Saturday.
His last US Open match was a 2019 quarterfinal loss to Grigor Dimitrov. Federer later underwent multiple knee surgeries and retired in 2022.
His final Grand Slam match came at Wimbledon in 2021, where he lost to Hurkacz and dropped the third set 6-0.
Federer said Tuesday’s exhibition will give him a chance to properly bid farewell to New York fans.
“They gave me an ovation because they saw me on the big screen, but I just feel, like, tomorrow ... it really gives me a true opportunity to say thank you and goodbye,” Federer said. “It’s a nice thing to do, for sure.” / LBG
