Federer Lights Up Laver Arena vs. Ruud in AO Return – Tennis Now

By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, January 16, 2026Photo credit: Antoine Couvercelle/ROLEX

Roger Federer famously branded the Australian Open the “Happy Slam.”

Twenty-time Grand Slam champion Federer brought blissful buzz back to Rod Laver Arena earlier today.

Federer practiced with world No. 13 Casper Ruud then the pair played a tiebreaker before a packed and enthralled Rod Laver Arena crowd.

The session came nearly seven years after their one and only ATP Tour meeting when Federer repelled Ruud 6-3, 6-1, 7-6(8) at the 2019 Roland Garros.

Watch Federer successfully serve-and-volley against Ruud then surprise the three-time major finalist with a clean backhand return winner down the line at about the 3:25-mark of the video below.

The 44-year-old Federer looked fit and focused and wasted no time between points.

Federer has been active around Melbourne Park this week.

The Swiss Maestro will join fellow major champions Andre Agassi, Lleyton Hewitt and Patrick Rafter in the Australian Open’s “Battle of No. 1s” exhibition match tomorrow night (Saturday, January 17th).

That match will be preceded by the beloved band Crowded House performing at the inaugural AO Opening Ceremony on Saturday, January 17th.

Here’s a closer look at Federer’s training session courtesy of official Rolex photographer Antoine Couvercelle:

All Photos: Antoine Couvercelle/ROLEX

The Swiss Maestro is still making the strings sing nearly nine years after he out-dueled rival Rafa Nadal in a riveting 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 triumph in the 2017 AO Final that saw Federer deliver a pulsating and near pristine fifth set of tennis.

In the afterglow of that match, Federer received the championship trophy from one of his tennis heroes, and fellow Rolex Ambassador Rocket Rod Laver.

Photo credit: Jon Buckle/ROLEX

It’s a moment that still resonates with Federer, who wore his Rolex on court versus Ruud, and shared the significance of the butterflies in that stirring AO victory.

“The Australian Open has so much going for it,” Federer said today. “Melbourne is such a great sporting city; Melbourne Park is a fantastic tennis venue and Rod Laver Arena is iconic.

“The Rolex Sky-Dweller I received after winning the tournament in 2017 is the watch which holds the most sentimental value to me. It has a butterfly engraving on the back because I referred to having butterflies before the final, so it was a special message from the Rolex family.”