In 2019, when Roger Federer walked out of Arthur Ashe Stadium after a quarter-final loss to Grigor Dimitrov, it felt like a goodbye to the New York crowd until the following year. Even at 38, despite growing physical limitations, Federer had managed his body well enough to compete through the gruelling ATP Tour, reaching the semi-finals of the French Open before making one last show in the Wimbledon final.
“It’s great to be back in New York,” Federer said. “I have incredible memories, obviously, of this court, of the fans here, of the city.”
Federer played two exhibition matches, beginning with a one-set singles encounter against longtime rival Roddick. Despite admitting beforehand that he was nervous about stepping back onto a tennis court, Federer looked remarkably familiar once the match began, producing the flair, precision and backhand magic that New York had missed for so long. It was his first singles match since his defeat to Hubert Hurkacz at Wimbledon in 2021.
At the same venue where he had beaten Roddick twice during their 24 career meetings, including the 2006 US Open final, Federer prevailed 6-3. He struck nine aces and produced an impressive display on serve, briefly reminding the crowd of the player who once ruled Flushing Meadows. At the end of the evening, Federer sat alongside the three other legends as organisers staged a spectacular drone show over Arthur Ashe, celebrating his five US Open triumphs and giving the Swiss great the farewell New York never got as a professional player.
