Two of the world’s greatest tennis players, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will go head to head in Cape Town to raise funds for the Roger Federer Foundation which will go towards education in Africa.
Cape Town Mayor Dan Plato confirmed the match, which will be hosted at 8pm on 7 February 2020 at the Cape Town Stadium. “We are very excited. We are grateful, happy. Looking at their followers, lots of tennis spectators will follow them down to Cape Town,” Plato told SABC.
The Cape Town Stadium, which has a capacity of more than 50,000 spectators, will also host a celebrity/pro doubles match between Federer and Bill Gates, best known as the founder of the Microsoft Corporation, versus Nadal and South African comedian Trevor Noah. As the excitement mounts, the legendary pair are expecting to raise a record amount for charity and achieve one of the highest attendance numbers for a tennis match ever.
“I will play in my mother’s home country against my toughest rival and friend Rafael 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. It will be a once-in-a-lifetime moment for my family and I,” said Roger Federer.
Nadal, who is equally excited, said, “Roger and I have shared so many magical moments on and off the court. Travelling 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.” Tickets are only expected to go on sale from September this year and no prices have yet been announced, but you can officially register for tickets.
The tickets will be priced to ensure the match is accessible to as many fans as possible. All net proceeds will be benefiting the Roger Federer Foundation’s (RFF) programs in the region. The RFF has been particularly active for many years in South Africa’s Eastern Cape region, where it supports charity projects. Federer personally has been to the Eastern Cape several times to have a look at the foundation’s work first hand. The 37-year-old also has strong relationships with South Africa since his mother, Lynette Federer was born in Johannesburg. Roger Federer, therefore, holds dual citizenship of Switzerland and South Africa.
For more information visit www.match-in-africa.com
