Match for Africa

Poster for the Match for Africa

The Match for Africa series is a recurring set of tennis exhibition matches. They are organized by Roger Federer to raise money for the Roger Federer Foundation. In the exhibition, Federer competes in a singles match against another of the world's best tennis players who have also been ranked in the Top 10 by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP). Each match has raised over $1,000,000 in support of educational and athletic programs for children in Africa.

The first Match for Africa was held in Federer's native Switzerland against his biggest rival, Rafael Nadal. It was also paired with another charity exhibition match played in Nadal's native Spain and titled Joining Forces for the Benefit of Children. Beginning with the Match for Africa 4, the players have also taken part in a doubles match where they each partner with a celebrity. Federer has partnered with Bill Gates in both such matches.

Match for Africa

"Match for Africa" was a tennis exhibition match played on 21 December 2010. The match was contested between world No. 1 player Rafael Nadal and world No. 2 Roger Federer at the Hallenstadion in Zurich, Switzerland. It was played to benefit the Roger Federer Foundation, which raises money to fund schooling, transport and food for children in Africa. It was the first of two exhibition matches contested by the players in the space of two days, with a match being hosted at the Caja Mágica in Madrid in Nadal's home county, Spain the following day. The match in Madrid was for the benefit of Nadal's foundation, the Fundación Rafa Nadal, and the match was titled "Joining Forces for the Benefit of Children".[1]

Demand for the event at the Hallenstadion was high, with the 10,500 tickets being sold out within minutes of going on sale in September 2010. The match was won by home-favourite Federer in three sets, with a 4–6, 6–3, 6–3 scoreline.[2][3] The second match in Madrid was won by Nadal 7–6(7–3), 4–6, 6–1.[4]

The matches raised nearly $4 million for charity, with $2.5 million going to the Roger Federer Foundation and $1.3 million to Fundación Rafa Nadal; with more to come in for Nadal's charity as segments of the court were sold from the Madrid match.[5]

Match for Africa 2

"Match for Africa 2" was a second exhibition match to raise money for the Roger Federer Foundation. The match was played on December 21, 2014 in an again sold out Hallenstadion in Zurich, Switzerland. This time the match was contested between the World Number 2 player Roger Federer and World Number 4 Stan Wawrinka. The match was won by Federer 7–6(7–4), 6–4.[6] This exhibition raised £850,000 for education projects in southern Africa.[7]

Match for Africa 3

"Match for Africa 3" was a third exhibition match to raise money for the Roger Federer Foundation. The match was originally planned to be in November 2016, but due to Federer's knee injury it was postponed to April 10, 2017 in Zurich, Switzerland. The match was contested between the world No.4 Roger Federer and world No.1 Andy Murray.[8] The match was won by Federer 6–3, 7–6(8–6). The match raised 1.4 million Suisse francs through the conclusion of the match with another week of donations still to come.

Match for Africa 4

"Match for Africa 4" was a fourth exhibition event to raise money for the Roger Federer Foundation. The matches were played on April 29, 2017 in Seattle, United States. The doubles match was contested between Roger Federer and Bill Gates versus John Isner and Mike McCready of Pearl Jam, and was won by Federer/Gates 6–4.[9] The singles match between Federer and Isner was then contested and it was won by Federer 6–4, 7–6(9–7). The event was sponsored by Microsoft, Nike, Starbucks, and Rolex and raised more than $2,000,000.

Match for Africa 5

Marketed as the "Match for Africa 5: Silicon Valley" was the fifth exhibition event to raise money for the Roger Federer Foundation. The matches were played on March 5, 2018 in San Jose, United States. The doubles were contested between Roger Federer and Bill Gates versus Jack Sock and Savannah Guthrie of NBC News, which were won 6-3 by Gates and Federer. The singles match between Federer and Sock followed, with Federer claimining the victory with 7-6 6-4.

Results

Singles

   Date    Tournament Surface Winner Runner-up Score
Dec 2010 Switzerland Match for Africa, Zurich, Switzerland Hard (i) Switzerland Roger Federer Spain Rafael Nadal 4–6, 6–3, 6–3
Dec 2010 Spain Joining Forces for the Benefit of Children, Madrid, Spain Clay (o) Spain Rafael Nadal Switzerland Roger Federer 7–6(7–3), 4–6, 6–1
Dec 2014 Switzerland Match for Africa 2, Zurich, Switzerland Hard (i) Switzerland Roger Federer Switzerland Stan Wawrinka 7–6(7–4), 6–4
Apr 2017 Switzerland Match for Africa 3, Zurich, Switzerland Hard (i) Switzerland Roger Federer United Kingdom Andy Murray 6–3, 7–6(8–6)
Apr 2017 United States Match for Africa 4, Seattle, United States Hard (i) Switzerland Roger Federer United States John Isner 6–4, 7–6(9–7)
Mar 2018 United States Match for Africa 5, San Jose, United States Hard (i) Switzerland Roger Federer United States Jack Sock 7–6(11–9), 6–4

Doubles

   Date    Tournament Surface Winners Runner-ups Score
Apr 2017 United States Match for Africa 4, Seattle, United States Hard (i) Switzerland Roger Federer
United States Bill Gates		 United States John Isner
United States Mike McCready		 6–4
Mar 2018 United States Match for Africa 5, San Jose, United States Hard (i) Switzerland Roger Federer
United States Bill Gates		 United States Jack Sock
United States Savannah Guthrie		 6–3

References

  1. ↑ "Federer, Nadal Play 'Match For Africa' In Zurich". ATP Tour. 21 December 2010. Retrieved 6 January 2011.
  2. ↑ "Federer downs Nadal in exhibition". Associated Press. The New York Times. 21 December 2010. Retrieved 22 December 2010.
  3. ↑ "Federer downs Nadal in first exhibition". Eurosport. Yahoo!. 21 December 2010. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
  4. ↑ "Nadal defeats Federer in Madrid". Eurosport. Yahoo!. 22 December 2010. Retrieved 7 January 2011.
  5. ↑ "Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal raise nearly $4m from charity matches". crunchsports.com. 31 December 2010.
  6. ↑ "Roger Federer beats Stan Wawrinka as Swiss duo raise money for African children". Stuart Fraser. Daily Mail. 22 December 2014. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  7. ↑ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/tennis/article-2883338/Roger-Federer-beats-Stan-Wawrinka-Swiss-duo-raise-money-African-children.html
  8. ↑ http://www.match-for-africa.com/en/
  9. ↑ http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/roger-federer-joins-bill-gates-john-isner-in-seattle-for-the-match-for-africa-4-to-benefit-childrens-education-in-africa-300434606.html

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