Having created tech giant Microsoft, you would think that few things can still excite Bill Gates.
But it’s not every day that a 64-year-old can share a tennis court with two of the greatest players in the history of the sport, and Gates has expressed his delight about doing just that on Friday at the Match In Africa event at the Cape Town Stadium.
The American billionaire will pair up with Swiss maestro Roger Federer – whose mother Lynette was born and grew up in South Africa – in a celebrity doubles match against Spanish wizard Rafael Nadal and comedian Trevor Noah on Friday evening.
A world-record 50 000 spectators – with tickets being sold out in just 10 minutes – for a live tennis match will watch the four men duel it out in aid of the Roger Federer Foundation, which helps children in education in southern Africa and Switzerland, with the aim of raising $1 million.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/rogerfederer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rogerfedereragain 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. pic.twitter.com/WMlbBtZwVC
— Bill Gates (@BillGates)
Federer will then take on Nadal in a best-of-three sets encounter.
“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,” Gates tweeted on Tuesday.
“Roger’s foundation partners with local NGOs in six countries in southern Africa to improve early learning and basic education. It’s an impressive organization, and I encourage you to consider supporting its work.”
Federer, who has won the most Grand Slam singles titles (20) in the sport, has already dubbed the duo ‘Gateserer’, while Noah posted on Twitter last week that he expects the Cape Town crowd to support him and Nadal.
Spanish left-hander is just one behind Federer on 19, and both men missed out on adding to their collection during the recent Australian Open in Melbourne, where Serbian Novak Djokovic triumphed to move up to 17.
The 38-year-old Federer arrived in Namibia on Tuesday, where he will visit a local charity that works with his foundation, while he is expected to meet President Hage Geingob on Wednesday before flying to Cape Town on the same afternoon.
Nadal, 33, is currently in Kuwait, where he will open a tennis academy bearing his name, as well as play an exhibition match against fellow Spaniard David Ferrer on Wednesday.
He is set to land in Cape Town on Thursday, and will train with Federer on Friday afternoon before the two matches in the evening, with the Zip Zap Circus and Ndlovu Youth Choir providing the entertainment in between.