Federer steals the show in Australian Open Practice

Roger Federer returned to Rod Laver Arena during Australian Open opening week and won a practice tiebreak against Casper Ruud, taking it 7–2.

Federer, who retired from professional tennis in 2022, faced Ruud, currently ranked inside the world’s top 15, in a short practice hit, not a competitive match.

The tiebreak drew attention due to the contrast between Federer’s retirement status and Ruud’s position as an active top player.

This match takes place nearly four years after Federer last appeared at the Australian Open. Despite that gap, he struck the ball cleanly throughout the tiebreak and controlled most of the points.

Ruud remained relaxed during the hit, and the two players shared a brief embrace at the net once it concluded.

Federer is scheduled to take part in an exhibition match later in the week. The practice appearance marked his first on-court moment at Melbourne Park since his retirement, and we are eager to see what he can still produce on the court.