The farewell Roger Federer missed: New York honours US Open legend with Arthur Ashe drone tribute

Roger Federer returned to Arthur Ashe Stadium on Wednesday, nearly seven years after his last US Open appearance, as the Swiss great received an emotional welcome from New York fans during Fan Week ahead of the 2026 tournament.

Federer last played at Flushing Meadows in 2019, when he lost to Grigor Dimitrov in the quarter-finals. Injuries then restricted him to just a handful of appearances in 2020 and 2021 before he announced his retirement in September 2022.

Billed as “An Icon Returns to New York”, Wednesday’s exhibition featured Federer alongside fellow tennis legends Andy Roddick, John McEnroe and Andre Agassi. The packed Arthur Ashe Stadium also welcomed stars including Serena Williams and Felix Auger-Aliassime.

“It’s great to be back in New York,” Federer said, recalling his memories of the court, the fans and the city.

The 45-year-old played two exhibition matches, beginning with a singles clash against longtime rival Roddick. It was Federer’s first singles appearance since his 2021 Wimbledon defeat to Hubert Hurkacz.

Despite admitting he was nervous before returning to the court, Federer looked sharp, beating Roddick 6-3 with nine aces and flashes of the precision and effortless style that helped him win five consecutive US Open titles from 2004 to 2008.

Federer then teamed up with McEnroe to defeat Agassi and Roddick 7-5 in a one-set doubles exhibition.

The evening ended with a spectacular drone show over Arthur Ashe Stadium celebrating Federer’s five US Open triumphs. The Swiss star stood alongside the three other legends as fans gave him a standing ovation.

The New York appearance is part of Federer’s trip to Newport, Rhode Island, where he will be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame on Saturday.

While a competitive comeback is off the table, Federer is expected to return to the US Open next week in a broadcasting role.