Federer Returns to Arthur Ashe for Exhibition After Three-Year Absence

Roger Federer is heading back to Flushing Meadows. The five-time US Open champion will play in a special exhibition event at Arthur Ashe Stadium — his first competitive appearance on that court since 2019. It's the goodbye moment New York never got to give him.

The Match Setup

The event, titled Roger Federer: An Icon Returns to New York, is set to air live on Sky Sports Main Event at 1am BST on Wednesday morning, according to Sky Sports. The format packs plenty of star power. Federer opens with a singles set against Andy Roddick, then the two split up for a doubles showdown — Federer partnering John McEnroe against Roddick and Andre Agassi. Four legends. One night. Arthur Ashe as the backdrop.

Five Years Since His Last Singles Set

Federer hasn't played a singles set since his Wimbledon quarterfinal loss to Hubert Hurkacz in 2021 — a match that quietly turned out to be the final Grand Slam appearance of his career. A knee injury had already kept him out of the 2020 US Open draw, and he never made it back to Flushing Meadows before announcing his retirement in September 2022.

He's not pretending this is easy. "It's nerve-wracking," Federer admitted ahead of the event. "I don't know how it's going to go tomorrow. 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 memories."

The 45-year-old last appeared at the US Open as a player when Grigor Dimitrov eliminated him in 2019. What followed — knee surgeries, a pandemic, a quiet retirement — meant he never got a proper sendoff from the New York crowd that roared for him across five consecutive US Open titles.

The Farewell He Deserved

"It really gives me a true opportunity to say thank you and goodbye, which I think is important for some," Federer said. That sense of unfinished business has clearly driven this moment. Fans who watched him dominate the Open Era never got to stand and applaud his final walk off that court. Wednesday night corrects that.

It's a sharp contrast to how Nadal recently ruled out any kind of comeback whatsoever, with the Spaniard making clear his playing days are definitively done. Federer, at least, is stepping back on court — even if just for one special evening.

And for a generation of younger players who grew up idolizing him — like Arthur Fery, who recently cited Federer as his inspiration after reaching the Wimbledon quarterfinals — this exhibition serves as a living reminder of what made the Swiss great so magnetic.

No Comeback on the Cards

Don't expect this to turn into something more. Serena Williams, aged 44, has grabbed attention at this year's US Open by teaming up with Carlos Alcaraz for mixed doubles — a move that sparked speculation about whether other retired legends might follow suit. Federer shut that conversation down immediately.

"No, not at all," he said flatly when asked if Williams' return had him reconsidering. "Thanks for asking. I wasn't sure if the question was going to get asked, but I'm happy you did so I can clarify in case anybody thought."

Crystal clear. This is a celebration, not a comeback trail.

Watch It Live

For UK fans, Roger Federer: An Icon Returns to New York airs live on Sky Sports Main Event from 1am BST Wednesday. It's a late night, but for 20 Grand Slam titles' worth of history, it's worth setting the alarm.

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