CAPE TOWN – The much-anticipated Match in Africa took a Springbok rugby turn at the Cape Town Stadium on Friday night.
Local hero and the Springboks’ Rugby World Cup-winning captain Siyamthanda Kolisi made his appearance on the specially-constructed tennis court, holding a Springboks rugby jersey.
The Bok talisman handed the personalised jersey –with the name Federer and the Bok skipper's No 8 printed on the back – to the host of the event Roger Federer, ahead of his match against friend and competitor on the night, Rafael Nadal.
Federer then wore the jersey - that matched his match shorts – during the warm-up session.
20-time Grand Slam Champion Roger Federer receives his Springboks jersey from Siya Kolisi . Photo: Phando Jikelo/African News Agency (ANA)
Huge Springboks fan
At a press-conference shortly after arriving at the Cape Town International Airport, Federer expressed his disappointment that his busy schedule will not allow him to attend the Stormers Super Rugby match at Newlands on Saturday.
However, he was surprised during a sponsor’s event at the Mount Nelson hotel on Thursday when Stormers and Springboks captain Siya Kolisi not only attended, but played a couple of volleys with him on a makeshift tennis court on the hotel grounds.
Not quite Nadal but...🤷🏿♂️😆 @rogerfederer pic.twitter.com/dWRl5ZViP3
— Siya Kolisi (@SiyaKolisi_Bear) February 6, 2020
In the first match of the Match in Africa, Roger Federer and celebrity partner Bill Gates triumphed over Rafael Nadal and Trevor Noah by 6-3.
