Federer to return to the Australian Open in 2026, leading the opening ceremony's "Battle of the World No.1s" showdown

In January next year, Swiss icon Federer is set to return to Melbourne for the first-ever Australian Open opening ceremony, where he will headline the "Battle of the World No.1s" event. "I’ve always thought Switzerland is too cold, so I need to plan another trip back to..." Federer said on his personal social media, then the rotating video completed his sentence with "the land Down Under."

Federer

The Australian Open organizers announced this Thursday that Federer will personally lead the "Battle of the World No.1s" segment during the opening ceremony held on the eve of the first Grand Slam singles main draw match (January 17). The 2026 International Tennis Hall of Fame inductee will appear alongside former Australian Open champions Agassi, Rafter, and Hewitt at Rod Laver Arena.

"I named the Australian Open the 'Happy Slam' as if it was ages ago, but whenever I think of all the precious moments here, I can’t help but smile," Federer recalled. "I have experienced so many emotions at Rod Laver Arena... the joy of lifting the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup six times, the honor of playing in front of Rod Laver himself, the challenge of facing the strongest opponents, and the unwavering passionate support from Australian fans."

"Winning the Australian Open again in 2017 remains one of my most treasured Grand Slam memories, and defending the title successfully in 2018 to fulfill my Melbourne dream once more was truly special. I can’t wait to step back onto the Australian continent and the AO courts to create more wonderful moments with all the Australian fans."

Since Wimbledon 2021, Federer has not played any official matches, and although he announced his retirement at the 2022 Laver Cup, he was unable to say a formal goodbye to Australian Open fans in Melbourne. Federer reached the Australian Open men's singles final seven times, winning six titles in 2004, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2017, and 2018, with his only runner-up finish coming in a thrilling five-set battle against Nadal in 2009.

Federer’s last Australian Open appearance was in 2020, when he saved seven match points to defeat American Sandgren in the quarterfinals, advancing to his 46th Grand Slam semifinal. His total of 102 singles match wins at the tournament also made him the first male player in the Open Era to achieve 100 wins at two different Grand Slam events.

Federer at the Australian Open courts

During this year’s Laver Cup, Federer’s agent and Team8 Sports CEO, Goldschmidt, revealed in an interview that he and Federer are planning a joint exhibition tour with Nadal. "I’ve been pushing him a bit, saying, ‘Come on, everyone wants to see you play again, you could do some legends matches or something.’"

In recent years, the Shanghai Rolex Masters has hosted the "Federer Super Friends Night" exhibition, becoming a key platform for fans worldwide to witness the Swiss maestro’s on-court charm. Federer also expressed hopes of staging exhibitions with Nadal: "Maybe we could create a tour, like a 'Fedal Tour' or something, that would be cool." Perhaps soon, these two great rivals and close friends spanning generations will return to the court together.

(Text and editing: Dato, Photos: Li Jianyi)