Federer: "It's a shame not to be on the circuit anymore, but it was a wonderful time and I miss it a lot"

Roger Federer returned to the US Open and a very nostalgic atmosphere was felt in the Swiss player's press conference, who came back to New York before playing an exhibition match against Andy Roddick and a doubles match with the American and Andre Agassi and John McEnroe. Before stepping onto the court, he talked about the issues surrounding the world of tennis: the injuries of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, the options of Novak Djokovic, the existence of the one-handed backhand, and many other topics.

Roger Federer reminisces about his best moments at the US Open

"Looking back, I suppose it was simply the streak of five consecutive titles. Being able to achieve that is something almost surreal, because I always knew how difficult it was to win here. It is the last Grand Slam of the season, everyone comes for it, everyone can play well on hard courts, and with the humidity, the wind, and the changes that have happened here over the years, it has always been a complicated tournament. So, looking back, I think that was incredible."

"Probably my favorite is the 2005 final against Agassi. I simply felt it was going to be a special occasion for him, and I was the defending champion. That made it even more special. I think the previous year we had already played a five-set match, with incredible wind for two days. I loved the rivalry I had with Andre at that time, so playing against him here in New York was something even more special."

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Federer explains the key to his few injuries throughout his career and compares it to the current situation of Alcaraz and Sinner

"I do not know the exact severity of each case or how they got to that point, but obviously the worst time to get injured is just before Roland Garros, because then you have Roland Garros and Wimbledon back-to-back. Obviously, that complicates the US Open a lot, and we've seen that with Carlos. I always tried to maintain a balanced schedule, with enough breaks, although it is easier said than done. I also took risks; there were times I added extra tournaments that I shouldn't have played, but I managed to overcome them."

"I think it is also important to prioritize what is really important to you. It can be the American tour, as it is here, or Australia for Australians. Each player has moments in the year when they want to reach their maximum level because you cannot be at a hundred percent twenty times a year. I think fans should also understand that. It's very hard to be at your best in every match."

Federer takes pride in his calendar choices

"Now that we see the Masters 1000 lasting two weeks, I think it is a new and interesting dynamic, and players are surely still adapting mentally and physically with their physical trainers and coaches. I am proud to have been able to play from January to November throughout my career. I never really missed the indoor season, Australia, or the American tours. I always tried to be present everywhere. Obviously, we always had to be careful about what was coming next, and I never wanted everything to revolve solely around the Grand Slams."

Federer admits to being nervous before his exhibition match at the US Open

"To be honest, it makes me a little nervous. I haven't played a single set since, I don't know, that match against Hurkacz at Wimbledon, so it's been five years. I don't know how it will go tomorrow; there's a lot of uncertainty, but also a lot of happiness to be able to return to Arthur Ashe, a place where I have lived so many precious moments."

Roger Federer returns to tennis' biggest stage 🤩 pic.twitter.com/OlGuqNILPW

— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 24, 2026

"Additionally, I have the opportunity to be with Roddick, McEnroe, and Roddick. It’s nice to reconnect with the tennis community. That's why I try to attend four or five events during the season. But this is obviously special, with “The Icon Returns to New York”, and then I will go to Newport, Rhode Island, for the first time to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Having it all happen at once is very special. It means a lot."

Federer reveals the moment he decided to retire

"I didn't want to force it. Things just happened the way they did. After Wimbledon, during that summer, I started to feel it. On vacation, I felt that this was the end. The knee could no longer take it. It was tired. And mentally I no longer had the patience to wait another couple of years and see what would happen. So ending at the Laver Cup in London was the right decision."

"After that, I didn't want to go to every tournament immediately to say goodbye. I preferred to let it happen naturally. I was here briefly a couple of years ago. I went to the main court, saw some matches; I think Grigor was playing and also Sabalenka that night. But it wasn’t my moment. I received a standing ovation because they saw me on the big screen, but I think tomorrow, today as well, and next Monday I will really have the opportunity to thank everyone and say goodbye, something I think is important for some people. It’s something nice to do. I don’t know why it didn’t happen before. It’s just life: life with family and life after the tour. I didn’t want to seek it immediately. I let it come naturally."

Federer rules out returning to tennis as Serena Williams has

"No, no, no, no. No, not at all. Thank you for asking. I didn't know if the question would come up, but I'm glad you did so I could clarify it. No, not at all. Moreover, the issue of anti-doping, too many obstacles. I'm too busy. I barely find time to play; imagine returning to the circuit. And my body is already finished. But I am very happy with how I feel. Everything is fine. Now I am just a fan. I enjoy watching tennis."

Federer says he misses his career as a professional tennis player

"If I look back, that's something I'm very proud of: having spent 25 years on the circuit and feeling that I made many friends and many people miss me. The same goes for the fans. They come up to me and say, “What a shame you no longer play.” Then I have a memory of all that, and I always say the same: I loved it."

"It's a shame not to be on the circuit anymore, but it was a wonderful time, and I miss it a lot. Moreover, having been able to play night finals here at the US Open, even just one would have been enough. It's not something I need in my life, but it's nice when it happens because my life on the circuit was incredible. I loved it."

Federer and the difficulty of getting back to preparing for a tennis match

"I really haven't missed it because you’re happy not to subject your body to that wear and tear. I don’t know how to explain it, but I just didn’t feel like being out there defending, fighting, and suffering. The preparation has mostly consisted of hitting a lot of tennis balls again, because when you retire, days, weeks, and months go by where you hit very little. So you have to make it a priority."

"I think my body is ready for tomorrow, but we’re not going to play matches best out of five sets. We’re not going to try to destroy ourselves or play drop shots on every point. I think we're going to be respectful because we are no longer active players, but I hope it’s fun for us and for the fans to see us back on court. From what I’ve heard, Andy is just as nervous as I am because we haven't been out there for a long time, which might make it even more fun."

Federer shares his opinion on the one-handed backhand situation

"One of my sons is switching from a two-handed backhand to a one-handed backhand, and I see how difficult it is to learn to hit it and control it. Over time you gain that control, but it takes time, and these days we don’t have time. Everything has to happen immediately. If you make technical changes, it takes too long, and it’s frustrating. It’s easier to stick with what you already have. I think that is one of the reasons why we see so many two-handed backhands. It’s just an easier stroke to learn when you are young. But I still hope it’s not the end, stated a Roger Federer that remains a pleasure to listen to.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Federer: "Es una pena no poder estar ya en el circuito, pero fue una época maravillosa y la echo mucho de menos"