The Australian Open held its first formal opening ceremony in Melbourne, featuring Roger Federer. The event included a performance by the band Crowded House and was attended by a capacity crowd in the 15,000-seat Rod Laver Arena.
Rod Laver, the Australian tennis legend, was present courtside. Roger Federer, a six-time Australian Open winner and 20-time Grand Slam champion, participated in an exhibition doubles match.
Federer partnered with past champions Andre Agassi and then Ash Barty. They played against Pat Rafter and Lleyton Hewitt. Federer secured the win in the exhibition match.
Novak Djokovic, who has won 10 Australian titles, was also in attendance. The main draw singles competitions for the Australian Open commenced on Sunday, with Djokovic scheduled to play his opening match on Monday.
Australian Open organizers expanded the 2026 edition into a three-week festival. The event saw 217,999 fans attend across six days for exhibitions, qualifying rounds, and the 1 Point Slam before the main draw began.
Federer's appearance marked his first return to Australia since 2021, following his retirement from competitive tennis. He expressed gratitude for the attendance of figures like Rod Laver, acknowledging earlier generations of stars.