With the world already buzzing with the return of Serena Williams, another great is set to take center stage at the biggest tennis stadiums in the world. 20-time Major champion Roger Federer will be at his full glory at an exhibition event in August in New York, and with the Swiss Maestro getting inducted into the Hall of Fame this year, the craze around the event will only go higher as the date approaches.

Federer is all set to grace the Arthur Ashe Stadium during the fan week of the 2026 US Open on August 25. The Swiss will be a part of the program, Roger Federer: An Icon returns to New York, along with other American legends like Andy Roddick, Andre Agassi, and John McEnroe. All four former US Open champions are scheduled to play an exhibition event, which will no doubt be the hottest-selling ticket at the Billie Jean King Cup National Center.

Federer expressed his enthusiasm about returning to the electrifying atmosphere of Arthur Ashe, while reminiscing about his heydays, when he mesmerized both common spectators and celebrities alike, often wearing black Nike kits during the coveted night session.

“The US Open has always been one of the most special tournaments for me,” Federer said in an interview as the exhibition announcement was made. “So many unforgettable moments of my career happened in New York, and Arthur Ashe Stadium is a place that means a great deal to me.”

This is not the first time Federer has been in an exhibition event at a Grand Slam. At the Australian Open this year, the Swiss was part of the opening ceremony alongside Andre Agassi, Ashleigh Barty, Pat Rafter, and Lleyton Hewitt. The 20-time major champion thrilled the crowd while playing a light-hearted doubles match alongside Barty and Agassi, and, much to the excitement of the crowd, won against the team of Hewitt and Rafter.

Since Federer did not get a chance to bid farewell to his ever-faithful fans in Melbourne when he retired in 2022, the event was designed so that the Swiss master could receive a proper farewell.

Federer’s influence was felt at the recently concluded French Open and during the press conferences of both eventual champions. While Zverev still expressed his admiration for the on-court variety Federer brought to the game, Andreeva admitted that watching videos of the Swiss legend’s matches during her campaign helped her exude that same confidence and composure on the court.

One can expect that New York will be attempting to do the same, as Federer last played at the US Open way back in 2019, and never got a proper final match at Arthur Ashe. The Swiss had a tremendous record when playing in New York, something that has yet to be matched in men’s tennis.

Roger Federer Has an Envious Record at the US Open

Federer was the last man standing in New York for five consecutive years from 2004-2008, a feat that no man or woman has matched in the sport in the Open Era. The US Open is the last slam of the year, and players often arrive in New York with weary bodies, having already played a packed schedule. That is why even in the peak Big 3 era of Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic, the US Open was the one Major where there were other champions. This is why Federer’s dominance at the Arthur Ashe has added significance.

The title reign that Federer had at the US Open in those five years coincided with his time as the No.1 player in the world. He won against the likes of Lleyton Hewitt, Andy Roddick, Andre Agassi, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray in the five finals he won. However, in what could be men’s tennis’s greatest missed opportunity, Federer never faced Nadal in New York, a match that could have been top billing during the night session at Arthur Ashe.

The Swiss legend had the chance of making it six in a row as well, but was dethroned by Juan Martin Del Potro in 2009 in a five-set epic. He reached the final once again in 2015, but was beaten by a dominant Djokovic in four sets. The last time the former World No.1 played in New York, he lost to Grigor Dimitrov in a five-set thriller in 2019.