Roger Federer returns to the Australian Open in 2026 for formal farewell in Opening Ceremony exhibition event

Roger Federer will be back on court at the Australian Open 2026.

The tennis legend will return to headline an exhibition match as part of the 2026 edition’s Opening Ceremony on Saturday (17 January), six years since the Swiss star played his final tournament at Melbourne Park.

The Olympic gold and silver medallist is participating in the Grand Slam’s inaugural ceremony in a special ‘Battle of the World No. 1s’ game. He will play alongside fellow Olympic champion Andre Agassi, Australian duo Patrick Rafter and Lleyton Hewitt.

Six-time Australian Open men's singles champion Federer said in a statement last month, “It feels like a lifetime ago that I coined the phrase the ‘Happy Slam’ for the Australian Open, and it still makes me smile when I think about all the moments I’ve had here.

“I’ve experienced so many emotions on Rod Laver Arena … the joy of lifting ‘Norman’ six times, the honour of playing in front of Rod Laver himself, the challenge of competing against my biggest rivals, and always the overwhelming love and support of the Australian fans.”

Federer, 44, played his last Australian Open match in 2020 against eventual champion Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals. He did not compete again in Melbourne before retiring in 2022, meaning that this will be his chance for a proper farewell for the fans.

The Australian Open main draw begins the day after Federer’s appearance, on Sunday (18 January).

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