Tatiana, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
"Roger & Friends" — Federer's Shanghai Return
A 77% win rate here, and a 4th trip back since retiring — on 16 October
On 16 October 2026, in the middle of the Shanghai Masters' main draw, Roger Federer plays a celebrity doubles exhibition called "Roger & Friends" — his fourth trip back to Shanghai since retiring in 2022, and his second consecutive year bringing this specific exhibition to the tournament.
Federer's own history at this venue is a real part of why this matters. He won the Shanghai Masters twice, in 2014 and 2017, reached the final on two further occasions, and finishes with a 41-12 win-loss record here — a 77% win rate at this specific event, well above his career average. This isn't a retired star making a generic guest appearance; it's a genuine return to a court where he built one of the strongest records of his career.
The exhibition itself leans into spectacle rather than straight competition. Last year's edition paired Federer with Chinese actors Donnie Yen and Wu Lei, plus former WTA player Zheng Jie — a genuine crossover between tennis and Chinese entertainment, not just a hitting exhibition between pros. This year, Federer partners with China's own Li Na against former world No. 1 Marat Safin and former world No. 1 Dinara Safina, with the format built for entertainment and crowd interaction rather than a serious competitive match.
Tickets for the 2026 tournament went on general sale 30 July 2026, and the Federer exhibition is included within the tournament's own ticketing structure rather than sold as a fully separate standalone product — meaning your access to it depends on which day-session ticket you hold for 16 October, not a dedicated Federer-only purchase.
Why it's special
A retired 20-time Grand Slam champion choosing to keep coming back to one specific tournament, four years running, is itself a statement about what Shanghai means to him — and a 77% win rate here backs up that this wasn't a random venue to pick. Watching "Roger & Friends" isn't watching a nostalgia act; it's watching a genuine hometown-style return to a court where Federer built real history, dressed up as entertainment for a crowd that clearly still wants to see it.
Insider tips
- 1
Check exactly which session ticket includes access to the 16 October exhibition before booking — it's bundled into the day's regular ticketing rather than sold as its own separate product, so the wrong ticket tier for that date can mean missing it entirely.
- 2
Arrive earlier than usual on 16 October — exhibition days with a Federer appearance draw noticeably heavier crowds than a standard main-draw session, even for matches earlier in the day.
Practical info
- Hours
- 16 October 2026 — exact match time within the day's session schedule to be confirmed closer to the tournament.
- Cost
- Included within standard day-session ticket pricing for 16 October — no separate Federer-specific surcharge confirmed as of this writing.
- Access
- Purchase a day-session ticket for 16 October via the official Rolex Shanghai Masters ticketing site — general sale opened 30 July 2026.
- Getting there
- Metro Line 1 to Xinzhuang or Line 5 to Zhuanqiao, then the tournament shuttle bus (¥2) to Qizhong's Gates 1-2. Total journey from central Shanghai: 60-90 minutes.
What to avoid
Don't underestimate how large a crowd Federer's own name draws here — this is genuinely one of the highest-demand sessions of the whole tournament, so both ticket purchase and on-the-day crowd logistics are a real challenge, not a formality. Buy your 16 October ticket as early as possible, and plan extra time getting into and around the venue that day.
