Overview
- Tennis Australia confirmed a 'Battle of the World No.1s' exhibition featuring Federer, Andre Agassi, Patrick Rafter and Lleyton Hewitt to launch AO 2026.
- The ceremony is scheduled for the evening before main-draw play, which begins on January 18 in Melbourne.
- Tickets are on sale through Ticketmaster, with prices starting at AUS$149, according to organisers.
- Tournament director Craig Tiley billed the new ceremony as a season-opening spectacle celebrating past champions.
- Federer acknowledged his return in a light-hearted social media video, joking about heading "Down Under" from snowy Switzerland.