Federer looks forward to brief return to Arthur Ashe stadium

New York tennis star Roger Federer expressed excitement about his brief return to Arthur Ashe Stadium this week. The former champion revealed he is anticipating playing exhibition matches before the US Open tournament commences on Sunday. Federer will engage in doubles with former rivals Andy Roddick, Andre Agassi, and John McEnroe, who together have claimed a dozen men's singles titles at the US Open.

At a press conference on Monday, Federer stated that the opportunity allowed him to express gratitude. New York fans, however, had not received a proper farewell for the 20-time Grand Slam winner after Federer's quarterfinal loss to Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov in 2019. Federer had planned to continue playing tennis, but injuries hindered his participation in the US Open in 2020 or 2021, leading to his last match at the Laver Cup in September 2022.

While Federer has participated in other exhibitions since retiring, he emphasized that his current schedule accommodated the New York match this year, especially to allow his four children, two sets of twins aged 12 and 17, to experience their father play. Federer anticipates a respectful match with a low-intensity level of competition, stating, "We're not playing best of five."

The match will provide fun for both the players and the fans. However, Federer firmly rejected the idea of a tennis comeback, answering "no" nine times when asked if he was interested in a wildcard permit. He added that he is now an enthusiastic fan watching the sport rather than actively participating.