Federer, Nadal ready to go for Match in Africa 6

The Match in Africa 6, benefitting the Roger Federer Foundation, will take place on Friday in Cape Town, South Africa.

It is the sixth installment of this event but the first actually in Africa (hence the renamed Match in Africa instead of Match for Africa), and also the second featuring Federer’s most famous rival: Rafael Nadal. After the 2010 debut between Federer and Nadal, the Swiss’ ensuing opponents were Stan Wawrinka, Andy Murray, John Isner, and Jack Sock. Locations have ranged from Zurich (three times) to Seattle to San Jose.

Match No. 6 has the star power (Federer, Nadal, Bill Gates, and Trevor Noah) and an unprecedented setting. Not only is it in Africa, but the attendance record for a single tennis match is expected to be broken with more than 50,000 fans.

“This Match in Africa is a dream come true,” Federer assured. “I will play in my mother’s home country against my toughest rival and friend Rafa Nadal. We share not only the love for tennis but also for the good cause of giving children a better start in education and in life. I feel privileged to have other leading philanthropists on board to entertain millions of people in the stadium and on TV. It will be a once-in-a lifetime moment for [me and my family].

“As the idea grew and it ended up let’s try to go big and we went bigger and bigger. For me at one point when I realized something very special could happen, for me it was only Rafa who could make this event truly special for the people here. I have the connection to Rafa if somebody could maybe bring him down to South Africa it is me. I asked him and he said yes right away.”

“Roger and I have shared so many magical moments on and off the court,” Nadal commented. “Traveling with him to Cape Town and playing for the benefit of children is something I am very excited about. It will be my first time in the region with Roger as a tour guide…that will be fun.”

As always, all proceeds will go to Federer’s foundation–which has raised $52 million over the years to educate more than 1.5 million children in six different African countries as well as Switzerland. 

13 Comments on Federer, Nadal ready to go for Match in Africa 6

  1. Good cause yes ..appreciate it

    Novak is winning slams .i hope rafa n fed just don’t play exhibitions ..win the silver too n don’t let novak walk away with them all..

    • They are preparing for their retirement plan. Fed said it himself, that he wished to do exhos with Rafa after they retired from professional tennis; playing exhos makes more money and quickly, and they get to relax and meet more fans, so why not.

      Both of them could join the senior tours too if they want, and I bet the senior tours will become more popular because of them.

      • Nah, they should play doubles together for a few years first! They’d get fans to come out for that!

        I don’t think either of them is planning retirement quite yet. Planning FOR retirement, sure. Fed’s gotten much more serious about his foundation lately.

      • Luckystar AT 11:51 PM;

        Rafa started to prepare for his retirement nearly a decade ago by building tennis centres and academies.
        But he is not planning to retire yet, he keeps saying that he loves playing tennis and his goal is to play pro tennis as long as possible. For example, between 4:25 and 4:34 in this video:

        https://youtu.be/MdwsXBxDWXQ

  2. But are we supporting rafa to see him plan his retirement ? If he is, let him say it and I’ll stop expecting anything. For now i am assuming he really wants to win more slams and i hope he won’t disappoint me

  3. I’m not talking about Rafa retiring soon! I know he has his academy, and Fed his foundation, but that doesn’t mean they can only do things solely for their respective cause; they can also play in exhibitions or the senior tours, so that they can promote tennis, meet their fans worldwide, and satisfying their urge to play tennis (esp against each other).

    • Luckystar AT 7:14 AM;

      Rafa has two academies. He inaugurated his second academy on Wednesday, in Kuwait. 🙂
      And he also has a foundation. It was created over a decade ago – in 2008. The foundation works with children and youth at risk of social exclusion in Spain and in Anantapur, India. Rafa inaugurated the Educational & Sports School, now called the Nadal Educational & Tennis School (NETS), in Anantapur in October 2010.
      His mother is the foundation’s president and his wife – its Director of Strategy & Institutional Relations.

      By the way, in 2010, the next day after Rafa & Fed played in Zurich (a Match for Africa) for Fed’s foundation, they played a charity exhibition match in Madrid for Rafa’s foundation. But the pro-Fed media has been quiet about the last mentioned match.

      • I already know all these, it’s not only you who’s aware of what Rafa has done off the tennis court.

        However, do you expect Rafa to work day in and day out at his academy and not do anything else? And, esp when Fed keeps inviting him for exhibitions all over the world?

        Rafa is one guy who just can’t sit still, and I think he’ll welcome and enjoys all these exhibitions to get away with his daily work once in a while.

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