Roger Federer's Limited-Edition Sneakers Land in New York — Saying Goodbye to Flushing Meadows One Last Time
Roger Federer will be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame this week, and he's timed his return to New York accordingly — bringing along On's limited-edition The Roger sneakers and playing a farewell-style exhibition match with Andy Roddick and John McEnroe at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Outside On's flagship store in Manhattan's Flatiron District, a line had already formed early in the morning — mostly kids with backpacks slung over their shoulders, clutching tennis rackets and balls, all waiting for the same thing: an autograph from Roger Federer.
He's practically been living in New York these past few days. First came the in-store launch of On's limited-edition The Roger sneakers, featuring a grass-green insole and a few hidden easter eggs on the shoe that the brand isn't spelling out — leaving it to buyers to find them on their own. The next day, he showed up at Arthur Ashe Stadium for a casual hit with Lorenzo Musetti, and the crowds packed in just the same. All of this is happening against the backdrop of his upcoming induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame alongside broadcast commentator Mary Carillo, with the ceremony taking place this weekend in Newport, Rhode Island.
Inside the store, Federer sat down for an interview with his longtime agent Tony Godsick amid the chaos — staff were busy coordinating his upcoming schedule, which included meeting the kids, answering their questions, and even a round of ping pong.
He explained why he chose this particular moment to come back to New York.
In the interview, Federer shared that he's actually been quite deliberate about not rushing his farewells at the places that mattered most to him. He goes back to Wimbledon every year, because it means too much to him not to. He returned to the Australian Open this year for an exhibition doubles match. As for the French Open, he only showed up once — for Rafael Nadal's retirement. But New York never got a proper goodbye, since he announced his retirement at the Laver Cup in London and never truly said farewell to Flushing Meadows. Tying this trip together with the Hall of Fame weekend, he said, felt like a way to complete the story.
Tonight at Arthur Ashe Stadium, he'll first play a singles exhibition against Andy Roddick, followed by a doubles match pairing him with John McEnroe against Roddick and Andre Agassi. He described teaming up with McEnroe as "exciting," noting the two had never played together before. On Monday, he'll return to Arthur Ashe Stadium once more for the Hall of Fame ring ceremony.
Asked about life after retirement, Federer said he "really does feel retired, and it really does feel different." With his son now 12 and his daughter 17, he spends more of his time on school runs and after-school activities, no longer having matches and training schedules taking up mental space. He also mentioned having more free time now to sit down with Tony Godsick and his wife Mirka to figure out what's next with the brands he works with, or simply plan a golf trip somewhere — though he admitted he's also learned to say no more, having become much pickier about the invitations he accepts.
