By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, August 24, 2026
Photo credit: Darren Carroll/Getty for USTA
Time travel isn’t an option in New York City.
Returning to the US Open today, Roger Federer felt flashbacks to his days of dominance in Flushing Meadows—and conceded the “nerve-wracking” emotions ahead of his exhibition in Arthur Ashe Stadium tomorrow night.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion Federer will return to Arthur Ashe Stadium tomorrow night for Roger Federer: An Icon Returns to New York event at the US Open. Federer will join forces with fellow former US Open champions Andre Agassi, John McEnroe and Andy Roddick in a doubles exhibition. ESPN2 and ESPN+ will televise Federer’s return tomorrow night.
Looking fit and relaxed, Federer drew a full house of media for today’s presser. It’s a transformative week for Federer, who will be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame along with pioneering broadcaster Mary Carillo in Newport on Saturday.
The 45-year-old Swiss stylist said he’s relishing reviewing his career highlights ahead of his return.
“This one is obviously special, you know, with The Icon Returns to New York, and then going to Newport, Rhode Island, and going for the first time over there, actually,” Federer said today. “Getting inducted right away is obviously super special. It means a lot. Yeah, and it’s nice to look back, I guess, one more time, because life goes quick, especially when you have four children.
“You stop remembering what you did or what you have been through. So it’s like going into a time machine and everything slows down for a second and you can actually look back one more time. Because I don’t need it in my life, but it’s nice when it does happen, because my life on tour was amazing. I loved it.”
The former world No. 1 was in Melbourne for the start of the Australian Open this year. Novak Djokovic knocked off Jannik Sinner to return to the AO final.
Rallying from a set down, the 22-year-old Carlos Alcaraz powered past Novak Djokovic 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 7-5 to capture his first AO championship and make history as the youngest man to complete the career Grand Slam.
Asked to assess the 39-year-old Serbian superstar’s shot of capturing a 25th major title in New York, Federer says Djokovic has a shot to win his first Grand Slam since the he won the 2023 US Open.
“I feel like whenever Novak enters any tournament, for that matter, or a major, he’ll have a shot,” Federers said. “Anyway, that’s my opinion. I have many high regards of Novak. I’ve see what he can do, not just once, not just here or there. He’s done it in every place and at the highest of levels.
“I always think that as long as he’s in the draw, there’s a chance. I think that’s also one of the reasons he’s still playing, because he actually truly must believe that he can still do it. That’s my opinion, too.
“and we played each other almost 50 times on all different surfaces and all the biggest courts. He was a pleasure to play against. Incredible player, unbelievable fighter. Figured out his game, became bigger and stronger and better. It’s amazing he’s still going. I’m very impressed.”
Reigning champion Carlos Alcaraz was impressive defeating Sinner in the 2025 US Open final. Asked to select the young star he’d like to face in his prime, Federer selected Sincaraz.
“Yeah, well, maybe Carlos. I think he’s exciting. I never got a chance to play against him,” Federer said. “Or Sinner, the same. We only practiced together a little bit as they were coming up. So I missed that generation, unfortunately, a little bit. There is a bunch of those guys I just missed just because of my knee issue.
“Obviously Novak would be cool too. He’s still going strong. He’s still hanging in there, which is cool. So I’m thinking mostly obviously about those guys. It’s nice to see Carlos back. I’m happy he made it in time. We’ll see how he’s going to feel. I don’t have to worry about how I would play him, because I’m not there in the draw, but I wish him the best.”
Twenty-eight years ago a teenage Federer reached the US Open boys’ final falling to a young Argentinean named David Nalbandian.
The master of so many Flushing Meadows finals Sunday proved to be a massive draw on opening Monday.
Following his presser, Federer took to Arthur Ashe Stadium court and practice with Lorenzo Musetti, who grew up idolizing the Swiss Maestro, before thousands of fans.
At the peak of his powers, Federer played ballet with the ball turning a tennis match into a dance.
Years after his last dance at Wimbledon, Federer said it’s the human tough that resonates most when he looks back on his glorious career.
“For me, if I look back, that’s kind of what I’m very happy about, that I went through 25 years on tour, and actually felt like I made a lot of friends and a lot of people miss me,” Federer said. “Same with fans. They come up to me and say, What a shame you’re not playing anymore.
“Then I get a flashback saying it was an amazing time, and I say it every time, I loved it, and it’s a shame I can’t be on the tour anymore, but it was a great, great time and I miss it dearly. Then I actually had the opportunity to play, let’s say, night sessions here in a US Open final, even one would have been plenty. Because when you enter into a finals of this kind of magnitude tournament, it teaches you so much, it shows you how far you’ve come, and forever you can think of that moment.
“So thankfully I have many of those, not that I needed it, but it’s just incredible that when I look back at the US Open, as an example, it makes me so proud to have seen, like, everything I experienced here, you know.”
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