The Mercury News

Federer will serve one up for charity against Sock at SAP

- Bay Area News Group

Tennis star Roger Federer, winner of 19 Grand Slam titles, will play in the Bay Area for the first time when he faces top American Jack Sock in a charity exhibition at 7 p.m. March 5 at SAP Center.

Proceeds from the fifth Match for Africa will support children’s education in Africa through the Roger Federer Foundation.

“I believe in the power of people. We know that a good education is a decisive factor to empower children by allowing them to take their future into their own hands,” Federer said in a statement. “With my foundation, we want to provide one million children with the opportunit­y for a quality education by the end of 2018. 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.”

There also will be a celebrity-pro doubles match with Federer teaming with Microsoft co-founder Gates against Sock and NBC’s Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie.

The Roger Federer Foundation has given $36 million to support education in six African countries and Federer’s native Switzerlan­d.

Tickets for Match for Africa 5 go on sale at 9 a.m. Friday and can be purchased at the Threat Metrix Ticket Office at SAP Center, Ticketmast­er.com, or (800) 7453000. Tickets start at $30. A limited number of VIP packages are available, which include end-court seats, exclusive hospitalit­y and a 20-minute Q&A session with Federer and Sock before the match.

 ?? PAUL KANE — GETTY IMAGES ?? The winner of 19 Grand Slam titles over his illustriou­s career, Roger Federer will make his Bay Area debut on March 5 when he faces Jack Sock in an exhibition at SAP Center.
PAUL KANE — GETTY IMAGES The winner of 19 Grand Slam titles over his illustriou­s career, Roger Federer will make his Bay Area debut on March 5 when he faces Jack Sock in an exhibition at SAP Center.

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