Three years after he walked away from the noise of stadiums, Roger Federer is still a presence you cannot shake off. His aura and his rivalry with Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal make him unforgettable. This week, he popped back into the spotlight after being elected to the 2026 International Tennis Hall of Fame. And as if that were not enough, another buzz followed, with talk that he and Nadal could team up again, this time off the court.

Well, just recently, Federer had a long chat with Tages Anzeiger, where he was asked about the idea of reuniting with Rafael Nadal for an exhibition tour. And this time, he did not close the door. He admitted the project is still only an idea, but he can already see the potential in it.

Roger Federer explained, “It would be great if it came to fruition. If we played exhibitions after our careers, we would have more time and wouldn’t have to rush into what comes next. I could imagine combining all of this with a good cause, raising money for my foundation and inspiring children. For the moment, nothing concrete is planned. But I can see some interesting ideas that could come out of it.”

The spark for all this talk did not come out of nowhere. In September 2025 at the Laver Cup in San Francisco, Tony Godsick, Federer’s long-time agent, revived the conversation about a possible return to the court in an exhibition format. Godsick revealed that he has been gently pushing Roger Federer to consider it, saying, “I put a little pressure on him by saying, Come on, people want to see you play again. You can do some senior exhibitions.”

He also confirmed that Nadal is on board with the idea, adding, “We also talked with Rafa about the idea of putting together a tour and he is interested.” To make the idea even bigger, Godsick floated the possibility of inviting others from their generation.

He said, “Furthermore, there are many other players from their generation who I think would be willing to play as well. Some of the biggest names are players who have just retired, so we could probably fill some great stadiums.” So yes, all signs point to Roger Federer being open to teaming up again, giving fans one more chance to see their era shine. But, as it turns out, he’s not the only one welcome to the idea of a reunion.

Rafael Nadal also opens the door to a Roger Federer reunion

Earlier this year, coach Toni Nadal also created a buzz when he hinted that Rafael Nadal might soon play exhibition matches with Roger Federer, and maybe even Novak Djokovic. Speaking to claytenis.com, he said, “I imagine he’d like to do some exhibitions with Federer soon, to give back a little of everything tennis has given him.” That hint quickly led to something even more direct.

Nadal himself supported the idea in May 2025, saying, “At some point I will prepare myself to play an exhibition or something like this.” With both of them open to it, it feels inevitable that the legends will be back on court together.

The excitement makes sense because Roger Federer and Nadal have shared so many unforgettable moments. Their battles shaped an entire era. They played a fun doubles match in 2017, and in 2022, they shared one of the sport’s most touching scenes when Nadal stood beside Federer during his final match. Federer also seems ready.

In an interview with CNBC, he said, “I love Rafa. I’ve been playing a lot lately to stay in shape. I know Rafa is totally open to playing some tennis. Senior tennis sounds awful, but maybe we could create a tour, a Fedal Tour or something like that. That would be great.” One simple idea quickly became a topic that fans everywhere were talking about. And they are not the only ones interested.

Even Djokovic is open to reconnecting. He said he would love to sit with Roger Federer and Nadal someday to talk about their past battles. Federer liked the idea right away, saying, “Of course. Rivalries like ours create a huge bond.” That bond matters even more today.

Roger Federer added that retirement has changed his view on many things: “Someone may have taken something very personally… and you don’t even remember it anymore. I’m totally up for us sitting down together and talking about the good old days.” With all three legends entering a friendlier, more relaxed chapter, and an exhibition could be the perfect way to bring them together again.