Roger Federer beat Rafael Nadal 6-4 3-6 6-3 to win the charity Match for Africa in Cape Town. Federer played for the first time in his career in South Africa (the native country of his mother Lynette) against his friend and rival Rafael Nadal for the sixth edition of the Match of Africa. This event attracted 51954 spectators, setting a new world record for attendance at a tennis match. Last November Roger Federer and Alexander Zverev played an exhibition match in Mexico City at the Plaza de Toros in front of 42517 spectators.
Federer and Nadal played at the Match for Africa again ten years after their previous match at this event, that took place in Zurich.
Federer earned an early break in the first game. He held serve with a service winner in the second game. Nadal won the third game with a forehand winner. Federer took a 3-1 lead with a hold of serve. The Swiss legend held serve at 15 with a forehand down the line winner in the sixth game to open up a 4-2 lead. Nadal held serve in the seventh game at 15 with a volley winner. Federer saved a break point in the eighth game with a service winner. Nadal held serve at love with a backhand crosscourt winner before Federer closed out the opening set 6-4 in the next game after 38 minutes.
Nadal held serve in the first game of the second set with a backhand down the line winner and earned a break in the next game after a loose forehand from Federer to open up a 2-0 lead. Federer earned a break point with a return winner in the third game and earned the break after a forehand error from Nadal.
Federer faced another break point chance, when he missed a forehand in the fourth game, and saved it with a volley winner. Nadal earned another break point chance with a forehand down the line winner and converted it with a foreahand crosscourt winner to open up a 4-1 lead.
Nadal held serve at 15 with a service winner to open up a 5-2 lead, forcing Federer to serve to stay in the set. Federer fended off set points in the eighth game, but Nadal sealed the second set 6-3 to force the match to the third set, as Nadal made a forehand error.
Federer held serve at 30 in the opening game of the third set. The 20-time Grand Slam champion earned an early break in the second game after a backhand error from Nadal. Federer hit two serves to open up a 3-0 lead. Nadal held serve at love in the fourth game.
Federer hit two powerful serves to open up a 4-1 lead and held his serve in the seventh game for 5-2, when Nadal netted a backhand.
Nadal hit a forehand winner to hold serve at 15. The Spanish star earned a break point with a forehand winner in the ninth game, but he wasted it. Federer converted the match point with a half-volley after 1 hour and 45 minutes.
Before the singles match, Federer teamed up with Bill Gates to beat Nadal and comedian Trevor Nash in a doubles match.
The Match for Africa was held for the first time in Africa. The Roger Federer Foundation has been actively helping kids get off to a good start in their educational journeys for more than 16 years.
“It was such a privilege to be here tonight. It was an absolute pleasure to share the court with Rafael again. It is really special on so many levels. This is so much more than just tennis and I really hope we can do it again”, said Federer.
“The energy has been fantastic. We can’t describe out feelings. It is a lifetime experience playing in front of such an amazing crowd in such an amazing crowd”,said Nadal.
