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By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, January 16, 2026Photo credit score: Antoine Couvercelle/ROLEX
Roger Federer famously branded the Australian Open the “Completely satisfied Slam.”
Twenty-time Grand Slam champion Federer introduced blissful buzz again to Rod Laver Area earlier as we speak.
Federer practiced with world No. 13 Casper Ruud then the pair performed a tiebreaker earlier than a packed and enthralled Rod Laver Area crowd.
The session got here almost seven years after their one and solely ATP Tour assembly when Federer repelled Ruud 6-3, 6-1, 7-6(8) on the 2019 Roland Garros.
Watch Federer efficiently serve-and-volley towards Ruud then shock the three-time main finalist with a clear backhand return winner down the road at in regards to the 3:25-mark of the video under.
The 44-year-old Federer seemed match and centered and wasted no time between factors.
Federer has been energetic round Melbourne Park this week.
The Swiss Maestro will be part of fellow main champions Andre Agassi, Lleyton Hewitt and Patrick Rafter within the Australian Open’s “Battle of No. 1s” exhibition match tomorrow evening (Saturday, January seventeenth).
That match might be preceded by the beloved band Crowded Home performing on the inaugural AO Opening Ceremony on Saturday, January seventeenth.
Right here’s a more in-depth take a look at Federer’s coaching session courtesy of official Rolex photographer Antoine Couvercelle:
All Pictures: Antoine Couvercelle/ROLEX
The Swiss Maestro continues to be making the strings sing almost 9 years after he out-dueled rival Rafa Nadal in a riveting 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 triumph within the 2017 AO Ultimate that noticed Federer ship a pulsating and close to pristine fifth set of tennis.
Within the afterglow of that match, Federer obtained the championship trophy from one in all his tennis heroes, and fellow Rolex Ambassador Rocket Rod Laver.
Photograph credit score: Jon Buckle/ROLEX
It’s a second that also resonates with Federer, who wore his Rolex on court docket versus Ruud, and shared the importance of the butterflies in that stirring AO victory.
“The Australian Open has a lot going for it,” Federer mentioned as we speak. “Melbourne is such an amazing sporting metropolis; Melbourne Park is a implausible tennis venue and Rod Laver Area is iconic.
“The Rolex Sky-Dweller I obtained after successful the event in 2017 is the watch which holds probably the most sentimental worth to me. It has a butterfly engraving on the again as a result of I referred to having butterflies earlier than the ultimate, so it was a particular message from the Rolex household.”
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