NEW YORK — Decades after establishing one of tennis's most dominant eras, five-time U.S. Open champion Roger Federer stepped back onto the hard courts of Arthur Ashe Stadium on Tuesday night for a special reunion with longtime rival and friend Andy Roddick.
Billed as "An Icon Returns to New York," the prime-time exhibition drew a packed crowd eager to see the 20-time Grand Slam winner back under the lights of Flushing Meadows. Fans filled the stands sporting the familiar "RF" caps that once defined an era of dominance in New York, where Federer captured five consecutive U.S. Open titles from 2004 through 2008.
Addressing the cheering crowd, the 45-year-old Swiss legend reflected warmly on his relationship with the tournament and the city.
"It's great to be back in New York," Federer said. "I have incredible memories, obviously, of this court, of the fans here, of the city."
Federer took a stroll down memory lane, recalling his initial arrival at Flushing Meadows as a junior player in 1998, where he reached the final, as well as his main-draw center court debut three years later against Andre Agassi.
"He smashed me 6-1, 6-2, 6-4," Federer joked about that 2001 match. "I had no shot. And I was like, 'OK, not so easy, not fast, Roger.' But, still, I'll remember this center court forever."
That loss set the stage for one of Federer's most cherished triumphs: returning in 2005 to beat Agassi in the final for his second U.S. Open crown.
"The one against Andre, I think, was extremely special: playing a legend that was coming towards the end of his career — that we had a chance to play against each other," Federer said. "And every player I was able to play against in the finals here also was a U.S. Open champion. It's been an incredible run. I loved it."
Joining him for the exhibition was 2003 U.S. Open champion Andy Roddick, who is set to turn 44 later this month. Despite Federer holding a lopsided advantage during their professional ATP Tour encounters, the mutual respect between the two has remained steadfast over two decades.
"It comes down to Roger," Roddick told reporters. "Obviously we played a bunch and he beat me a bunch, but we were always able to navigate a friendship through the middle of our careers that's lasted till now and will hopefully last forever. It's just about showing up when Roger asks you to."
The exhibition provided fans with a celebratory atmosphere, bridging the gap between tennis history and the start of another chapter at Flushing Meadows.
