Federer spreads love in Namibia ahead of 'Match in Africa' with Nadal, Gates and Noah

Tennis player Roger Federer is in Namibia ahead of his “Match in Africa” in Cape Town on Friday.

The match is in partnership with his foundation, Roger Federer Foundation, which raises funds for educational and athletic programmes for children.

He told Tennis365 the Friday match will be his first in the country and that it's a special one as his mother, Lynette, was born in SA. He said playing on her home ground has always been on his bucketlist.

“I don't know what took me so long, to be honest. I said 'it's not possible that I'm on the tour for 20 years, I've become the player I've been and I've never played in SA'. It's just not OK, I couldn't live with myself if that happened,” he said.

He will play alongside “long-time rival” Rafael Nadal, billionaire businessman and philanthropist Bill Gates and SA-born comedian Trevor Noah. Funds raised will be donated to his foundation.