'I can't wait to come down under again to the AO and create more fantastic moments with all the Aussie fans.'
Roger Federer is heading back to a place that has given him joy, heartbreak, glory — and some of the most enduring memories of his glittering career.
The Swiss great will return to Melbourne for the Australian Open 2026, featuring in a special exhibition match alongside fellow former world No. 1s Andre Agassi, Patrick Rafter and Lleyton Hewitt, Olympics.com reported.
The Australian Open’s new Opening Ceremony will be held on Saturday, January 17, at Rod Laver Arena, a day before the main draw gets underway on January 18.
For Federer, 44, Melbourne is not just another stop on the tennis calendar. It is home to the tournament he famously christened the ‘Happy Slam’, a phrase that has lived on long after his final match there.
'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,' said Federer, a six-time Australian Open champion, in a press release.
Those moments, for Federer, are stitched into the fabric of Rod Laver Arena.
'I've experienced so many emotions on Rod Laver Arena... The joy of lifting 'Norman' [the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup] 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.'
Among them stands one comeback that still defines his late-career renaissance.
'Coming back to win the AO in 2017 is one of my most treasured Grand Slam memories and backing it up to win in 2018 was another dream come true in Melbourne. I can't wait to come down under again to the AO and create more fantastic moments with all the Aussie fans.'
Tournament director Craig Tiley said the Opening Ceremony is designed to celebrate both the future and the past of the tournament.
“I'm thrilled we're introducing this very special AO Opening Ceremony. While the AO has a reputation for innovation and is renowned for pushing the boundaries, we are also the custodians of a proud 120-year history filled with some of the sport's greatest champions,” Tiley said.
“This inaugural Opening Ceremony will mark the start of a new tennis season in spectacular fashion. I can't wait to see Roger back on Rod Laver Arena, along with other greats of the game, Andre, Pat and Lleyton. And I know fans across Australia will be just as excited to share this moment with him.”
Federer last played at the Australian Open in 2020, when his campaign ended against long-time rival Novak Djokovic. He retired from professional tennis in 2022.
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