Release Roger: Fan favourite Federer gives Australian Open’s ceremony oomph

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On Saturday night, Australian tennis joined a growing number of major sports in staging an event before the event to mark its territory.

Evidently professional competitions have noticed the vacuum of attention the Olympic Games creates at its kick-off every four years and are keen for a piece of the action.

Roger Federer, his star undiminished six years after his last Australian Open as a competitor.

The AFL has opening round, the NRL has Las Vegas, the Super Bowl has its opening night, FIFA had Morgan Freeman and one fifth of BTS in Qatar in 2022.

But none of them have Roger Federer, and the wisest thing the AO did in entering the fray was getting him on board.

For the most part, the choices for the inaugural Opening Ceremony felt safe yet significant: Rod Laver tossing the coin; beloved, unproblematic Australians Pat Rafter, Ashleigh Barty and Lleyton Hewitt, four-time winner Agassi and a tried and tested music act in Crowded House.

“I used to be good at tennis until a blew a calf muscle playing Paul Kelly,” quipped Neil Finn, before dubbing Agassi, Rafter, Hewitt and Federer “the Beatles of tennis”.

Crowded House set the playful tone for the evening with the between-song banter.

And when bandmate Nick Seymour stepped out to continue his bass line on the base line, it was clear the players and fans weren’t the only ones keen to embrace the “happy slam” ethos.

But everyone knew all these names were just garnishes: The main course was Roger Federer.

Agassi, Federer, Rafter and Hewitt with Rod Laver at their centre.

Tennis’ unbeaten king of hearts was this year’s ace in the hole. His last time in Melbourne as a competitor was 2020, and six years’ absence has only made Australia’s hearts grow fonder.

Across the afternoon people filed in with his profile and initials on their shirts, or else took photos in front of the AO signs on the concourse holding “I heart Roger” cardboard signs.

Agassi was thrilled to have Federer as his partner.

The roof reopened just before the match, and it was as if God himself was tuning in as the summer sun came blaring through.

Not that the people in Bays 19 and 20 were that impressed: They had to watch Hewitt and Rafter’s pre-match interviews through the cracks of their fingers thanks to the penetrating glare.

The muted sense of contentment and anticipation in the crowd - among them David Warner and Novak Djokovic - blossomed into full-throated euphoria when Federer arrived.

A standing ovation when he entered the arena. Two bearded middle-aged men in the crowd with the sign “RF, you are our hall pass” (his wife and kids were there). Renewed applause every time he switched ends.

Forget the Beatles, Elvis was in the building.

No one was enjoying it more than Agassi. “If I win it’s because of my partner, not me,” the American said pre-game, leaning into the droll humour. “It’s so nice not caring if you suck anymore.”

At one point Agassi left court entirely, pitting Federer solo against Hewitt and Rafter. Rafter’s return of Federer’s serve went long.

The ceremony’s true purpose was evident when young Australian player Emerson Jones read ‘The Players’ Oath’, as Federer waited in the wings: “To the many that have gone before us who started as kids with a dream… We gather in gratitude on these glorious blue courts and simply say thank you, we hope to do you proud.“

Ash Barty was the surprise entrant to the match.

Later in the evening, Ash Barty made a cameo to take Agassi’s place at Federer’s side.

“Here’s what the Open has done,” the spectacle seemed to say, “who’s ready for what it’s about to do?”

No one was taking themselves too seriously: Hewitt took off on a victory lap after unexpectedly returning a vicious Federer backhand with a right-angled volley to win the point.

“Andre’s trash talking has gone to my head and I’ve lost all forehand confidence,” conceded Rafter halfway through. “I’m going in [to the new] get ready to get smashed!”

Agassi shows respect towards Rod LAver courtside.

After the match, the five stars sat down to talk about their favourite Australian Open memories. Federer then got a one-on-one with the host, before ascending a hastily erected staircase on the court and raising his hands in triumph as fireworks exploded above him.

As footage played of his 26-shot rally with Rafael Nadal in 2017, his ironic courtside interview with Will Ferrell and a facetime of his children suggesting he put soup in the trophy, some in the crowd were moved to tears.

Asked what he remembered about playing Agassi and Djokovic in Melbourne, Federer deadpanned. “Nothing. I actually had to look up what I did in ’07, and apparently I didn’t lose a set. I don’t remember those details anymore, but it must have been an absolute dream of a tournament!”

The night of the match, some Victorians were cleaning up after a devastating flash flood. Others were fighting fires still burning after 10 days.

For those in the crowd, the match was a chance for them to take back summer - if only briefly.

A generation of grateful tennis fans finally got the chance to give the Fed the down under send-off they felt he deserved, and Tennis Australia was left with a problem it probably couldn’t be happier to have: How do we top that next year?