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Tennis icon Roger Federer admitted to feeling nervous ahead of his return to Arthur Ashe Stadium for exhibition matches at the US Open, his first time playing there since 2019. The Swiss star, who has won 20 Grand Slam singles titles, acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding his performance after a significant break from the sport.

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I haven’t played a singles set in, I don’t know, (Hubert) Hurkacz at Wimbledon maybe, so it’s been five years.

Federer is scheduled to play one set of singles against Andy Roddick and one set of doubles with John McEnroe. Despite his enduring fitness and enjoyment of training, he stated emphatically that these appearances do not signal a comeback to professional tennis. "No, no, no, no. No, not at all," Federer responded when asked about competing in major tournaments again in his mid-40s.

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I don’t know how it’s going to go tomorrow. So, there is a lot of uncertainty but a lot of happiness that I can return to Arthur Ashe, a place where I have had so many beautiful moments.

His presence in New York has already generated considerable excitement among fans. Federer's name appearing on the stadium's scoreboard during his practice session was met with enthusiasm, recalling his dominant run where he won the US Open trophy five consecutive times from 2004 to 2008.

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No, no, no, no. No, not at all.

The trip to New York is part of a larger itinerary for Federer, as he is also heading to Newport, Rhode Island, to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame on Saturday. This marks a significant moment in his career, celebrating his unparalleled achievements in the sport.

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The knee can’t do it anymore.