Roger Federer is again in the Rod Laver Arena, plays easily – and even wins a tiebreak against Casper Ruud.
by Stefan Bergmann
last edited: January 16, 2026, 3:57 p.m
© Getty Images
Admittedly, when Roger Federer shows up at the Rod Laver Arena, there is automatically nostalgia in the air. The 44-year-old’s performance in Melbourne was all the more astonishing, where he showed in a training session against Casper Ruud that elegance, timing and feel for the ball don’t simply disappear even after the end of his career. Highlight: Federer won the tiebreak – much to the surprise of the spectators.
Federer’s last serious appearance was a while ago. He played his last Grand Slam match in Wimbledon in 2021, suffering from knee problems. The official farewell followed in 2022 at the Laver Cup. Now the Swiss is back in Australia for the first time in six years – together with his wife Mirka, their four children and his parents. At the Australian Open, which he won a total of six times, Federer will be the star guest at the newly introduced opening ceremony on Sunday.
Not an everyday luxury for the “Maestro”
Even in retirement, the maestro is not lazy. On Friday he was on the court with Ruud for a public training session, followed on Saturday by a celebrity doubles match alongside Andre Agassi, Lleyton Hewitt and Pat Rafter. Ruud also had to acknowledge that Federer does more than just play along in his performances. The Norwegian spoke with a smile of another tiebreak defeat and described Federer as “as smooth as ever”.
Federer himself took the appearance with humor. Normally he would have talked about form and expectations at this point, he explained – today that no longer plays a role. It was a privilege to be back in the Rod Laver Arena. The tournament management even opened the center court and the audience to him in preparation for the show doubles – a luxury that Federer also mentions as not commonplace.
A serious comeback? He dealt with the issue himself. When he was offered a wild card with a wink in the interview, Federer laughed and waved it away. His kneecap wobbles, his body and head are not ready for it. The bottom line was that one thing remained: a short but intense nostalgia trip – and proof that Roger Federer can still effortlessly create special tennis moments even at 44.
Here is the program for Sunday at the Australian Open 2026
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Roger Federer
Ruud Casper
