Federer excited to face Nadal in sixth Match for Africa

Reuters Videos
5 年前

SHOWS: CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA (FEBRUARY 5, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL)

1. (SOUNDBITE) (English) 20-TIME GRAND SLAM CHAMPION, ROGER FEDERER, ON PLAYING AGAINST RAFAEL NADAL, SAYING:

"For me, it was only but Rafa who could make this event truly special for the people here. Cause I have the connection to Rafa. If maybe somebody can bring him down to South Africa, it's me and I asked him and he said yes right away. We've been fighting over a date for the last two years, so I finally got one out of him. He wanted to do it earlier, we were both ready but it was just too much going on with our schedules."

2. WHITE FLASH

3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) 20-TIME GRAND SLAM CHAMPION, ROGER FEDERER, ON RAFAEL NADAL, SAYING:

"You know I remember Rafa when he was younger and he was so shy and he was looking up to me and he said 'whatever Roger wants, I'm happy with that,' and then he grew in a bit much stronger character you know. We had still a good time but obviously the rivalry grew as we were one and two and two and one the whole time (in the rankings). And then today I think with all the time that had passed, we see that we're on the final stretch in some ways and we see life also very differently but I think we have the ultimate respect for one another like I have for anybody who has achieved as much as he has. Regardless of all the records that he's about to break of mine or vice versa, I think we're happy for one another. So, for me I'm very happy and very excited that he's here in Cape Town coming and playing, you know again in a completely different place and different surroundings that we've ever even been in so it's going to be wonderful."

STORY: Twenty-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer on Wednesday (February 5) spoke of his excitement to battle rival Rafael Nadal in the sixth edition of the Match for Africa on Friday (February 7) in Cape Town, South Africa.

The exhibition, the first of the Match for Africa series to be played on the African continent and Federer's first match in the country his mother is from, supports children's education in Africa.