It was only a practice session, but boy, was it good.
It was as if no time had passed, as a 44-year-old Roger Federer stepped onto Rod Laver Arena for a hit with world No. 13 Casper Ruud on Friday.
Roger Federer walks onto Rod Laver Arena for a practice session with Casper Ruud.Credit: Getty Images
Almost four years after he announced his retirement from tennis, and six since he’d last appeared at the Australian Open, the 20-time grand slam singles champion was back at Melbourne Park to dazzle the crowd once more.
But this time it’s a little different, with Federer invited by Tennis Australia to play an exhibition match on Saturday night as part of the slam’s opening ceremony, which will also feature Andre Agassi, Pat Rafter and Lleyton Hewitt.
The opening ceremony is a new addition that’s part of TA’s push to expand the event beyond its 15 days of tournament play, and the Swiss legend is the star attraction.
A day earlier, Federer conceded he was “nervous” and “excited”, but there was nothing to be nervous about, as he pulled shot after shot out of his back catalogue to remind fans why he will always be one of the greatest of all time.
Rod Laver Arena was packed for the hit between Federer and Ruud.Credit: Getty Images
No umpires and no line calling – just an hour on the court where he had been crowned champion six times: 2004, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2017 and 2018.
For the most part, the pair were not pushing each other to their limits. There was laughing, talking, breaks and a lot of stop-start, which you’d expect when you’re blowing off the dust or, in Ruud’s case, warming up for a tournament.
