“With my foundation, we want to provide one million children with the opportunity for a quality education by the end of 2018,” said Federer. “The Match for Africa 5 in San Jose will help us reach our ambitious goals. I am very grateful for this opportunity to collaborate with Bill Gates, who in my opinion is the world’s leading philanthropist.” In 2017, the pair faced no. 16 ranked American tennis player John Isner and Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready. They won 6-4. However, Sock currently takes the no.1 spot in the US, and Federer tells Gates to “up his game”. A training montage on Gates’ YouTube channel features him lifting weights, parrying on a tightrope, and getting a fashion makeover.
Federer’s Bay Area Debut
According to the video, the event will begin on March 5 at the SAP Center in San Jose. “Nineteen-time Grand Slam tennis champion Roger Federer will play his first-ever match in the Bay Area taking on the #1 ranked American Jack Sock in a best-of-three sets exhibition match to support children’s education in Africa,” says the event description on Ticketmaster. “As a warm-up, Federer will team with Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates for a friendly one-set doubles match against NBC Today Show co-host Savannah Guthrie and Jack Sock. The matches begin at 7pm, doors open at 6pm.” Tickets for the event will range between $30-$500, and Gates is hoping to win again. “Roger and I are 1-0 as a doubles pair after last year’s event, so I’m hoping we can keep the streak alive while raising money for an important cause,” he said. You can buy tickets here.
