![Roger Federer and Bill Gates have teamed up for an exhibition match for two successive years. [Image rights: flickr/flickr.com]](https://staticr1.blastingcdn.com/media/photogallery/2018/3/6/660x290/b_502x220x82/roger-federer-and-bill-gates-have-teamed-up-for-an-exhibition-match-for-two-successive-years-image-rights-flickrflickrcom_1870361.jpg "Roger Federer and Bill Gates have teamed up for an exhibition match for two successive years. [Image rights: flickr/flickr.com]")
Roger Federer teamed up with multi-billionaire Bill Gates for a rematch of “Match For Africa” which is an initiative to help raise funds for the Roger Federer foundation. Federer, who recently reclaimed the top spot as the world's number one in men's tennis will be using the proceeds to fund Children's education in certain parts of Africa and also in his homeland as well. This was reported by Forbes.
Roger Federer match for Africa: How it unfolded
Federer is said to be the richest tennis players with an annual income of $64 million according to Forbes.
He partnered the Microsoft billionaire in the doubles clash against fellow professional Jack Sock and Savannah Guthrie, the host of NBC Today. Together, 36-year-old Federer and Gates, 62, cruised to a 6-3 doubles victory. The doubles match which was an exhibition one witnessed the dexterity and trick shots of both professionals. At one point, Federer even dared to play on his knees to entertain the 16,000 spectators. He was only able to return two shots while he was on the ground though.
According to ExpressNews, Gates, replied “almost everything” when asked what Federer had taught him from his occasional training with the Swiss who had just won his 20th major singles title at Australia Open in January.
Also, he admitted they discussed tactics and how to hit the ball “really well” and “really hard.”
The goal of ‘Match for Africa’
The idea of this fundraiser event is to use what has been funded in order to reach out to African children through six African charities and also to children in his native country - Switzerland. According to the Roger Federer foundation chief executive officer, Janine Handel, the goal is to get to reach at least one million children by the end of 2018.
Federer “feels privileged” to be able to partner Gates, whose “commitment” and “consistency” to the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation impacts and inspires. In her words, Janine Handel affirmed the goal of the foundation is to get “access to better quality education” to children both Africa and Switzerland.
According to Forbes, a sum of two million dollars was raised for this same purpose when the pair teamed for the first edition in Seattle last year.
The success of the first edition last April necessitated the just concluded edition held in SAP Centre, San Jose, California. Federer has remained committed to the cause; already a grand sum of $36 million dollars has been invested since its inception 15 years ago.
