Andy Roddick Joins Federer for US Open Exhibition at Arthur Ashe Stadium

On Tuesday night, August 25, 2026, Andy Roddick shared Arthur Ashe Stadium with Roger Federer for the first time in years, headlining a US Open Fan Week exhibition billed as “Roger Federer: An Icon Returns to New York.” Federer opened with a one-set singles throwback against Roddick, then teamed with John McEnroe for a doubles set against Roddick and Andre Agassi — a reunion of four men who defined men’s tennis across three decades.

The night marked Federer’s first time on court at Flushing Meadows since his 2019 US Open quarterfinal loss to Grigor Dimitrov, and his first competitive-style hit in Ashe since he won five consecutive men’s singles titles there from 2004 to 2008. Played on deciding points with trick shots, banter, and standing ovations, the event was billed as celebration rather than tournament tennis.

Editor’s note: This article draws on reporting from AP News, Tennis Majors, Al Jazeera, US Open announcements, and pre- and post-event press conference remarks from Roger Federer, August 24–25, 2026.

Event at a glance

Detail	Information
Event	Roger Federer: An Icon Returns to New York
Date	Tuesday, August 25, 2026
Venue	Arthur Ashe Stadium, Flushing Meadows, New York
Format	One-set singles, then one-set doubles (deciding points)
Singles	Roger Federer vs. Andy Roddick
Doubles	Federer & John McEnroe vs. Roddick & Andre Agassi
Context	US Open Fan Week, ahead of the 2026 main draw (begins Aug. 30)

What happened on court

Federer and Roddick walked onto Ashe for a one-set singles exhibition that recalled their professional rivalry without the stakes of a Grand Slam night session. Coverage described the set as theatre rather than contest — playful drop shots, crowd engagement, and the easy rhythm of two former No. 1 players who faced each other 24 times on tour, with Federer winning the majority of those meetings.

The singles set was followed by a doubles exhibition pairing Federer with four-time US Open champion McEnroe against Roddick and Agassi, an eight-time major winner and Federer’s opponent in two memorable Ashe finals (2004 and 2005). Organizers used a deciding-point format designed to keep both sets moving for a packed house that had watched Federer dominate the same stadium for half a decade.

Federer had joked before the night that he and Roddick would try to be respectful and not drop-shot each other into oblivion. In practice, the tone matched the billing: a farewell lap for a 20-time Grand Slam champion who retired at the 2022 Laver Cup and had not played a competitive singles set since losing to Hubert Hurkacz at Wimbledon 2021.

A rivalry that shaped an era

Federer and Roddick’s professional history is inseparable from the Federer era at the US Open.

Milestone	Detail
Head-to-head	24 meetings; Federer won the majority
Signature Ashe moment	2009 final — Federer saved two championship points and won 16–14 in the fifth set
Roddick’s lone major	2003 US Open title at Flushing Meadows
Federer’s Ashe streak	Five straight men’s singles titles (2004–2008)

Roddick’s power serve and Federer’s all-court artistry produced some of the most watched matches of the 2000s. Tuesday’s exhibition reframed that rivalry as nostalgia — two rivals in their mid-40s giving New York one more shared night under the lights.

Federer rules out a professional comeback

At a pre-event press conference, Federer shut down any comparison to Serena Williams or Venus Williams, who returned to tour-level play in 2026.

When asked whether he might accept a wild card on a limited basis, Federer answered with a string of “No” responses and listed the practical barriers: re-entering the anti-doping pool, tour travel, and a body he said was finished with full-time competition.

“There’s way too many obstacles, and I’m too busy. I’m barely finding time to play any exos. So imagine a tour, and the body is done.”

He framed the Ashe appearance as a chance to say thank you and goodbye to a crowd that had not seen him compete there in seven years. Federer said he had visited Ashe as a spectator in recent seasons — watching Dimitrov and Aryna Sabalenka — but those nights “weren’t my night.” This exhibition, he said, gave him a proper stage to reconnect with the tennis community.

Federer also reflected on why the farewell took so long after his 2021 knee problems ended his competitive career. He said he felt on vacation after Wimbledon that summer that his knee and patience were spent, and that ending at the Laver Cup in London felt right. He did not want to stage immediate goodbyes at every tournament; he let the moment come naturally as his four children grew older.

Federer’s US Open legacy

Asked for his greatest memory inside Ashe, Federer pointed to the five-title streak from 2004 to 2008 — a run he called “surreal” given the humidity, wind, and depth of the field at the season’s final major.

His favorite individual match, he said, was the 2005 final against Agassi, when he defended his title against a New York crowd ready to crown a hometown hero. The year before, they had played a five-set semifinal stretched across two days.

Federer, 45, also spoke about legacy beyond forehands and break points — how he was remembered in locker rooms, with ball kids, and with tournament staff across 25 years on tour.

What’s next

Date	Event
Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026	Federer inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, headlining the Class of 2026 alongside broadcaster Mary Carillo
Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026	2026 US Open main singles draws begin

Federer said he still attends four or five tennis events per season and remains connected to the sport through his foundation and occasional public appearances. The New York night and Newport induction form a back-to-back capstone to a career that included 20 Grand Slam singles titles between 2003 and 2018.

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Discussion

Four legends on one court is a rare sight — even in exhibition dress.

1. Federer said the body is done and ruled out a Williams-style return, but still drew a full house at Ashe. Do these Fan Week exhibitions give fans the closure they want, or does tennis miss having him in a real draw?

2. Federer called the 2005 Ashe final against Agassi his favorite US Open match, while many fans remember the 2009 fifth set against Roddick. Which Federer moment at Flushing Meadows defines the stadium for you?

Share which rivalry night you would have paid to see replayed — singles or doubles.

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