Roger Federer will make an on-court return at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, appearing in a Roger & Friends celebrity doubles match at Qizhong Stadium on October 10.

In a video released by the tournament, Federer said: “Hello, this is Roger, and I am really happy to be returning to Qizhong Stadium in Shanghai for the Rolex Shanghai Masters. “Shanghai has always been a special place for me, with great fans, unforgettable memories, and a real love for the game. I look forward to seeing you then, on October 10.”

Organisers confirmed he will be joined in the event by Donnie Yen, Wu Lei and former Chinese player Zheng Jie. The match is presented as a celebrity doubles encounter bringing together names from sport and entertainment.

Federer’s last professional court appearance came at the Laver Cup in September 2022, when he partnered Rafael Nadal in doubles. They lost 6-4, 6-7 (2-7), [9-11] to Team World’s Jack Sock and Frances Tiafoe. That contest was followed by an emotional on-court farewell.

Federer has repeatedly said he intended to remain involved in the sport. He stated: “I love this game and I want to stay involved in some shape or form. I won’t be a ghost or a stranger.” There have been exhibition outings since, including the 2024 Night of Roger Federer’s Super Friends with Eason Chan, Zhang Zhizhen and Fan Zhendong.

Earlier this year Federer added: “I would love to start playing two or three times a week & hopefully get myself back on the exhibition court and fill up a few nice around the world. I have no plans yet.” The October appearance in Shanghai will be the first clearly scheduled public exhibition referenced in those comments.

Federer’s history in Shanghai is long: he won the tournament in 2014, defeating Gilles Simon, and again in 2017, when he beat Rafael Nadal. He was runner-up in 2010 to Andy Murray and last played at the event in 2019, losing a quarter-final to Alexander Zverev. Federer was also present in the stands at the 2024 edition, watching the final between Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic while seated next to Carlos Alcaraz.

Karen Khachanov reached a notable career milestone on Sunday in Cincinnati, recording his 200th hard-court tour-level win by defeating Valentin Royer 6-4, 7-6 (6) in the opening round.

The landmark had nearly arrived three days earlier in Toronto, where Khachanov came within four points of the mark while contesting the final. He had produced a deep run in Canada, reaching the second Masters 1000 final of his career and his first since 2018, when he won indoors in Paris, before finishing runner-up to Ben Shelton on Thursday night.

Sunday’s match against French qualifier Royer required work. Khachanov closed out the first set 6-4, then recovered from 4-2 down in the second set and faced a 4-1 deficit in the tiebreak. He even trailed by a set point at 6-5 in the breaker, but won the final three points to secure the match and the 200th hard-court victory.

The milestone places Khachanov among a select group of players; he became the 10th man born in 1990 or later to reach 200 career hard-court wins, and the seventh man born in 1996 or later—or even 1992 or later—to do so. The result continues a strong recent run for Khachanov, who has won 13 of his last 16 matches, a stretch that dates back to the grass-court season and includes a semifinal in Halle, a quarterfinal at Wimbledon and the final in Toronto.

Khachanov entered that run ranked No. 22 and is now No. 12. A former world No. 8, he has a good chance of returning to the Top 10 after Cincinnati. Awaiting him in the third round is American wild card Jenson Brooksby, who defeated French lucky loser Arthur Cazaux earlier in the day, 7-5, 6-1.

Carlos Alcaraz returned to competition in Cincinnati and endured a bumpy path to the third round, edging Damir Dzumhur 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 in the second round. It was his first match since Wimbledon and his second meeting with Dzumhur this year at the Cincinnati Open.

Alcaraz opened strongly, taking the first set in under 30 minutes as Dzumhur managed just one winner and committed 13 unforced errors in seven games. The quick start gave Alcaraz an early foothold on the scoreboard after a break from tour competition.

The momentum shifted in the second set, when Alcaraz produced a subdued performance and 15 mistakes from the Spaniard’s racquet helped pull the 33-year-old Dzumhur level. The swing mirrored an earlier encounter in the spring at Roland Garros, where Alcaraz also had to regroup after a mid-match lapse before closing out the win.

Alcaraz had acknowledged the emotional aftermath of Wimbledon in his pre-tournament press conference, saying it took “hours, not days” to recover from the disappointment of losing the final to Jannik Sinner. That context framed his opening match in Cincinnati and the uneven patches that followed.

The deciding set was contested and never entirely routine. Alcaraz led throughout the final frame but still labored toward the finish line, ultimately completing the 6-1, 2-6, 6-3 victory and advancing in the tournament.

The match underlined familiar themes: a fast, efficient opening set; a sudden dip in form; and a recovery that, while imperfect, was sufficient to move forward. © 2025 Getty Images