Image Credentials: Image Title: Federer Returns to the ‘Happy Slam’: Swiss Maestro to Launch 2026 Australian Open Source: (sora.openai) Date: December 2025. Attribution: This image was created using AI-generated imagery (sora.openai) and does not depict a real-world scene.
By Open Chronicle Staff with Agencies
MELBOURNE, Australia – Tennis legend Roger Federer is set to return to Rod Laver Arena, the scene of many of his most memorable victories, as he officially launches the 2026 Australian Open. Organizers confirmed on Friday that the Swiss great will headline a special “Battle of the World No. 1s” match as part of the tournament’s inaugural opening ceremony.
This return marks the first time Federer will step back onto the Melbourne Park court since his retirement in 2022. The new opening ceremony is scheduled for the evening before the Grand Slam officially begins on January 18.
The event will serve as a tribute to Federer, who secured six of his 20 major titles at the Australian Open, lifting the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup in 2004, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2017, and 2018.
The centerpiece of the launch will be the exhibition match, where Federer will be joined by a roster of fellow tennis icons, including four-time Australian Open winner Andre Agassi and popular Australians Pat Rafter and Lleyton Hewitt.
Reflecting on his affinity for the tournament, Federer fondly recalled his connection to the event. “It feels like a lifetime ago that I coined the phrase the ‘Happy Slam’ for the Australian Open, and it still makes me smile when I think about all the moments I’ve had there,” Federer stated.
Federer emphasized the emotional significance Melbourne holds for him, citing the overwhelming reception he has always received from Australian fans.
“I’ve experienced so many emotions on Rod Laver Arena, the joy of lifting ‘Norman’ six times, the honour of playing in front of Rod Laver himself,” he said. “The challenge of competing against my biggest rivals, and always the overwhelming love and support of the Australian fans.”
He singled out his late-career triumphs as particularly meaningful. “Coming back to win the AO in 2017 is one of my most treasured Grand Slam memories, and backing it up to win in 2018 was another dream come true in Melbourne.”
The highly anticipated return promises a celebratory start to the 2026 tournament, uniting some of the sport’s greatest champions for a spectacle dedicated to one of the game’s most beloved figures.