Federer returns to the court after three years! His appearance in Shanghai delights fans

After being away from competition for three years, Federer returned in a remarkable fashion. The Swiss icon showed up last night at Shanghai’s Qizhong Forest Tennis Center for the “Friendship Stars Doubles Match,” teaming up with famous director and actor Donnie Yen. The match, announced months ago, sparked huge excitement, with fans thrilled to see the two-time Shanghai Masters champion and 20-time Grand Slam winner back on court. Federer clearly savored the moment.

On Friday, Federer and Donnie Yen formed a team to face Chinese tennis star Zheng Jie and actor Wu Lei. Federer wore a deep blue outfit and wielded a Wilson racket, a scene that warmed the hearts of many who missed him — his presence on the court had been rare since his 2022 retirement. Before the match, Federer thanked Wu Lei, who admitted feeling a bit nervous.

Federer sincerely said, “Feeling nervous is a good thing; it shows you care about the match. I think you did very well. Thank you for coming; I can see you’re happy. What I want to say is that seeing you and Donnie Yen train hard for this match really touched me. (Pointing to Zheng Jie) Although we don’t need to train as much as they do... seeing that passion during practice, I hope you can keep that enthusiasm going.”

Donnie Yen also took to the tennis court, competing alongside popular Chinese actor Wu Lei. This star-studded exhibition was more than just entertainment. As Federer said, “Maybe it also shows the audience and everyone here today how important sports are in everyday life and happiness. I’m glad we could share this moment together on the center court.”

Zheng Jie’s legendary status is firmly etched in Chinese tennis history. She reached a career-high singles ranking of world No. 15 in May 2009 and climbed to No. 3 in doubles in July 2006. At Wimbledon 2008, she defeated world No. 1 Ivanovic, becoming the first Chinese woman to reach a Grand Slam singles semifinal, a feat she repeated at the 2010 Australian Open. Her 2008 was not only a breakthrough in tennis but also marked by humanity — she donated her prize money to the Wenchuan earthquake relief, a deeply moving gesture.

The exhibition match was thrilling, with Federer and Donnie Yen winning 5-7, 10-8, 7-1. Even though Federer hadn’t competed for three years, the result was not surprising, and this is not the only recent “comeback” story involving Federer!

Ahead of last month’s 2025 Laver Cup, Federer was interviewed on CNBC and asked a question that excited fans immensely: would he team up with Nadal to start a “Legends Tour”? Federer, full of anticipation, almost without hesitation replied, “Why not?”

Federer revealed he has stayed in good shape: “I love Rafa. A few days ago, I played tennis for four hours in San Francisco, then another hour and a half in Los Angeles. I’ve been playing and maintaining my fitness. And I know Rafa is totally willing to play some tennis too.” Clearly, Federer doesn’t want to disconnect from the sport.

Although the name “Legends Tour” doesn’t sound very appealing, Federer joked, “It sounds terrible.” Then he had a bright idea: “Maybe we can create something like the ‘Fedal Tour,’ that would be really cool.” Fortunately, Nadal shares the same view.

Earlier this year, Nadal also told reporters, “I will definitely come back at some point to play an exhibition or something similar.” He added, “I need time. Playing exhibitions is not just about stepping on court; it requires preparation because when you play exhibitions, you want to show the best tennis to fans and all the organizers.”

Now, with Federer having completed the exhibition in Shanghai, it seems he has found his rhythm again. Could the “Fedal partnership” be making a comeback?(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Spark)