Tennis legend Roger Federer has teamed up with Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates for the third time as they take on tennis superstar Rafael Nadal and comedian Trevor Noah on Friday.
The duo of Federer and Gates have been unbeaten as a team. The celebrity exhibition match will be followed by a much-anticipated singles face-off between Federer and his long-time rival, Nadal. Proceeds from the event will go towards Federer’s foundation.
On January 29, Trevor Noah had tweeted, “Hey @RogerFederer, you & @billgates want to play doubles against me & @RafaelNadal!? Okay. We accept your challenge, but be prepared for the crowd in SA to be on our side! See you Feb 7 in Cape Town! Masihambe! #MatchInAfrica”.
Replying to his tweet, Federer wrote, “Challenge accepted! What’s your team name? Ours is #Gateserer”.
Bill Gates quoted Trevor’s tweet and wrote, “Game on!”.
On Thursday, speaking to sport24.co.za, Federer said, “I'm very happy to be back in South Africa. And I'm excited that this match is finally around the corner. I have family here and have been wanting to come back for years. This really connects all the dots - playing tennis, raising money and doing it in South Africa, which is very special to me. I'm very happy, it's here.”
"I think it is going to be quite emotional because I have been wanting to play in South Africa for years. It is a place where I have come to spend many vacations as a child. I still have family here in South Africa. I can't believe that it has taken so long, and I hope it will be dry," he added.
Gates later shared a video on Twitter and wrote, “I’m excited to team up with @rogerfederer again for the Match in Africa Friday in Cape Town. Playing alongside Roger is always a thrill, and I can’t wait to face off against @RafaelNadal and @Trevornoah.”fe
The Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal exhibition match will take place on 7th February, Friday. The match is played to support the Roger Federer Foundation which raises money for children's education in Africa.
