Gates can’t wait to ace Nadal and Noah

HAVING created tech giant Microsoft, you would think that few things can still excite Bill Gates.

But it’s not every day that a 64-year-old can share a tennis court with two of the greatest players in the history of the sport, and Gates has expressed his delight at the chance to do just that at the Match in Africa event at Cape Town Stadium on Friday.

The American billionaire will pair up with Swiss maestro Roger Federer – whose mother Lynette was born and grew up in South Africa – in a celebrity doubles match against Spanish wizard Rafael Nadal and comedian Trevor Noah on Friday evening.

A world-record 50 000 spectators for a live tennis match – with tickets having sold out in ten minutes – will watch the four men battle it out in aid of the Roger Federer Foundation, which helps children in education in southern Africa and Switzerland, with the aim of raising $1 million (R14.7m).

Federer will then take on Nadal in a best-of-three sets encounter.

“I’m excited to team up with @ rogerfederer again for the Match in Africa Friday in Cape Town. Playing alongside Roger is always a thrill, and I can’t wait to face off against @RafaelNadal and @Trevornoah,” Gates tweeted.

Federer, who has won the most Grand Slam singles titles (20) in the sport, has already dubbed the duo “Gateserer”, while Noah posted on Twitter last week that he expects the Cape Town crowd to support him and Nadal.

The Spanish left-hander is just one behind Federer on 19, and both men missed out on adding to their collection during the recent Australian Open in Melbourne, where Serbian Novak Djokovic triumphed to move up to 17.

The 38-year-old Federer arrived in Namibia yesterday, where he will visit a charity that works with his foundation, and is expected to meet President Hage Geingob today.

Nadal, 33, is in Kuwait, where he will open a tennis academy bearing his name, as well as play an exhibition match against fellow Spaniard David Ferrer.

He will train with Federer in Cape Town on Friday before the two matches in the evening, with the Zip Zap Circus and Ndlovu Youth Choir providing the entertainment in-between.