After Roger Federer's Australian Open 2026 return move, Rafael Nadal comes with surprise announcement

Roger Federer is set to return to the Australian Open in just over a month for the Melbourne Major's inaugural opening ceremony. Meanwhile, the Swiss' fierce yesteryear rival, Rafael Nadal, dropped a playful update after undergoing a surgery on his right hand, joking that he will miss 2026's first Grand Slam as a result.

Roger Federer, a six-time former champion in Melbourne who retired at the 2022 Laver Cup, is also slated to take part in an exhibition event, which, as things stand, is set to be a part of the inaugural opening ceremony. The event, dubbed 'Battle of the World No. 1s', will also feature Andre Agassi, Pat Rafter and Lleyton Hewitt.

On Friday, December 12, two-time former Australian Open winner Rafael Nadal took to his Instagram and shared a post consisting of a picture that showed the Spaniard's right hand in a brace. The 22-time Major champion who retired at the 2024 Davis Cup Finals captioned the post:

"Looks like I won't be able to play the@AustralianOpen2026 😂 I had to undergo hand surgery because of an issue I'd been dealing with for a long time, but I hope to be fine soon 🤗"

"Still makes me smile when I think about all the moments I’ve had here" - Roger Federer in statement confirming return to Australian Open in 2026

Roger Federer in action at the 2020 Australian Open (Source: Getty)

Through an official statement confirming his presence at the upcoming 2026 Australian Open, Roger Federer laid bare how special the Melbourne Major still is for him. The Swiss also remembered his 2017 and 2018 Australian Open title triumphs, with his 2017 success coming on the back of his thrilling five-set victory against Rafael Nadal in the final.

"I’ve experienced so many emotions on Rod Laver Arena … the joy of lifting ‘Norman’ six times, the honour of playing in front of Rod Laver himself, the challenge of competing against my biggest rivals, and always the overwhelming love and support of the Australian fans," the Swiss stated.

The former No. 1 and 20-time Slam champion added:

"Coming back to win the AO in 2017 is one of my most treasured Grand Slam memories and backing it up to win in 2018 was another dream come true in Melbourne. I can’t wait to come down under again to the AO and create more fantastic moments with all the Aussie fans."

Federer's final competitive outing at the Australian Open came in 2020, when the Swiss reached the semifinals before losing to eventual champion Novak Djokovic.

Edited by Sudipto Pati