With a drone show and full stands: the moving tribute to Federer at the US Open
The legendary tennis player received an official farewell at Arthur Ashe Stadium, seven years after his last match in New York. The Swiss held exhibition matches and reminisced: "I have amazing memories of this court, the fans here, and the city."
Seven years after his last match at the US Open, Roger Federer returned last night to Arthur Ashe Stadium — and this time he received the farewell that the New York crowd did not get to give him when he was still an active player. The Swiss legend, who won the tournament five consecutive times between 2004 and 2008, participated in two exhibition matches during Fan Week ahead of the US Open, and was then treated to a spectacular drone show in the sky above the stadium.
Federer, 45, left Arthur Ashe for the last time in 2019, after being eliminated in the quarterfinals by Grigor Dimitrov. Back then, it still seemed he would continue to appear in the tournament in the coming years, but injuries limited him significantly in 2020 and 2021, and he did not return to play at the US Open. In August 2022, he announced his retirement from professional tennis.
"It's great to be back in New York. I have amazing memories of this court, the fans here, and the city," Federer told the crowd.
The event, titled "An Icon Returns to New York," filled the stands. Many of the fans who arrived wore hats with the famous RF logo, which became a symbol of the Swiss throughout a career in which he won 20 Grand Slam titles. Some of the biggest names in the world of tennis and sports also came to watch, including Serena Williams and Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Federer started with a one-set singles match against his old rival Andy Roddick. This was his first singles appearance since his loss to Hubert Hurkacz at Wimbledon in 2021, and he admitted even before the match that he was a little nervous about returning to the court. But once the match started, Federer looked as if five years had not passed since his retirement. He displayed the precision, elegance, and backhand that made him one of the greatest players in history, and won 6:3. The Swiss hit nine aces and showed an impressive serving ability, which reminded the crowd of the days when he dominated Flushing Meadows.
Later, Federer teamed up with John McEnroe in a doubles match against Andre Agassi and Roddick, and the two won 7:5 in another exhibition match. But the truly great moment came at the end. Federer sat next to the three tennis legends — McEnroe, Agassi, and Roddick — as the event organizers launched a spectacular drone show into the sky above Arthur Ashe, dedicated to his career and his five US Open titles. The crowd rose to its feet and cheered for Federer, who finally received a proper farewell from New York — a farewell he did not get when he ended his professional path.
The visit to New York is part of another significant journey for Federer. On Saturday, he is expected to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Rhode Island, and at the same time, it appears that his connection with the US Open is not yet completely over: next week he is expected to return to the tournament, this time in the role of a broadcaster and commentator.
