TENNIS – Roger Federer beat his fellow countryman Stan Wawrinka 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 in 93 minutes in the Match for Africa 2 in front of 11’000 enthusiastic fans in the Hallenstadion in Zurich. Diego Sampaolo
It was the second edition of the Match for Africa four years after Federer and Rafa Nadal played to support the Roger Federer Foundation in the same Zurich venue. The event raised 1.3 million Swiss Francs to support the Roger Federer Foundation, an organisation established in 2003 which promotes access to quality education, supporting projects operated by local non-profit groups in six countries in Southern Africa and Switzerland. This year it is reaching out to 136’000 children, with the goal of reaching a total of 1’000’000 children by 2018.
The match for Africa mixed great tennis with some elements of show and music. The crowd was entertained with African dance and song during the changeovers in the sold-out Hallenstadion.
The two Swiss stars met for the fourth time this year. Wawrinka beat Federer 4-6 7-6 6-2 in the all-Swiss Monte-Carlo final. Federer took the re-match beating Wawrinka 3-6 7-6 6-4 6-4 in the Wimbledon quarter final. Federer edged Wawrinka in three thrilling sets with 4-6 7-5 7-6 in the epic semifinal at the O2 Arena in London in the ATP Match of the Year.
Federer, who was voted “Swiss Personality of the Year 2014” during the Credit Suisse Awards last week, prevailed in the tie-break in the first set before getting the only break in the third game of the second set. Australian Open champion Wawrinka brought up two break point chances when he was 3-4 down in the second set. Federer closed out the match with an overhead smash. Federer and Wawrinka, who won the first Davis Cup in the history of Switzerland last November, offered a great tennis show with spectacular smashes, lobs and cross-court passing shots.
Before the match Federer and Wawrinka rallied with two children 10-year-old tennis player and singer Chelsea Fontenel and a ball-boy. Chelsea Fontenel entertained the crowd with an interpretation of “Simply the Best” by Tina Turner before the match.
“I thank Stan thousands of times. It was a big honour to play against Stan in the Match for Africa”, said Federer.
