By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, August 11, 2025
Photo credit: Wilson
The Swiss Maestro will make the strings sing in Shanghai in October.
Former world No. 1 Roger Federer announced he will play an exhibition doubles match at the Rolex Shanghai Masters on October 10th.
“Shanghai has always been a special place for me, with great fans, unforgettable memories and a real love for the game,” Federer said in a video message posted on the tournament’s social media channels. “I look forward to seeing you there on October 10th.
“Shanghai let’s meet.”
Roger Federer is coming back to Shanghai 🤩
Join us on October 10th for the @rogerfederer and Friends Celebrity Doubles Match!#rolexshanghaimasters pic.twitter.com/6gpnkFfl6B
— Rolex Shanghai Masters (@SH_RolexMasters) August 10, 2025
The Roger Federer and Friends Celebrity doubles match will feature actors Wu Lei and Donnie Yen, and former Chinese tennis player Zheng Jie. The Federer exhibition doubles match will be played on Qizhong Stadium’s center court.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion returned to Shanghai last fall where he practiced with Carlos Alcaraz in a session starring two of the top shotmakers in Open Era history.
An immensely popular presence in Asia, Federer is a two-time Shanghai champion.
In the 2017 final, the second-seeded Swiss played a near-flawless match firing 10 aces against no double faults and permitting just eight points on serve in a 6-4, 6-3 win over top-seeded rival Rafael Nadal.
Federer captured his first Shanghai title in 2014 out-dueling Frenchman Gilles Simon 7-6(6), 7-6(2) in a one hour, 53-minute final. The third-seeded Federer stopped top-seeded Novak Djokovic 6-4, 6-4 in the 2014 semifinals.
In an interview with Tennis Now in New York City during the 2024 US Open, Federer said he had been hitting and was looking forward to potentially playing some exhibitions.
Visiting the Masters at Augusta National in April, Federer reiterated his desire to play some exhibitions.
“Honestly, I would love to play some more tennis again. Enough with the golf already for a moment now,” Roger told SNTV.
“I would seriously start playing 2 or 3 times a week again and hopefully get myself back on the exhibition court and hopefully maybe fill up a few nice stadiums around the world.”
In two months time, fans will see Federer back on court in Shanghai.
