Roger Federer celebrated upon his return to the US Open for an exhibition against Andy Roddick

Roger Federer made a triumphant return to Arthur Ashe Stadium at the U.S. Open on Tuesday night for an exhibition match against longtime rival Andy Roddick. The event, titled "An Icon Returns to New York," drew a crowd of fans eager to witness the 45-year-old Swiss tennis legend in action against the soon-to-be 44-year-old American.

Federer, a five-time champion of the U.S. Open, expressed his joy at returning to his beloved court, recalling fond memories from his early days as a junior player in 1998 and his first center court appearance in 2002, which ended in a straight-sets loss to Andre Agassi. He reminisced about his 2005 U.S. Open victory over Agassi and highlighted the special nature of facing off against another U.S. Open champion in Roddick.

Roddick, who claimed the tournament in 2003, credited Federer and the fans for his return to the court. He noted that the friendship between the two players endured the rivalry and would likely continue indefinitely. Roddick emphasized the importance of showing up when Federer requested it.