• Rafa Nadal. "I preferred Thiem to win in Australia, I'm not a hypocrite"

Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal , together again for a solidarity cause. The Swiss and the Spanish will meet this Friday at "The Match in Africa" ​​at Cape Town Stadium in Cape Town (one of the 2010 South Africa World Cup venues), with capacity for more than 50,000 people, where will break the world record for the public.

"Only Rafa could make this event something really special for the people here, I have a connection with Rafa and if anyone could bring it to South Africa it was me, " Federer said Wednesday at the Cape Town airport. "I asked him, he said right away and we have been fighting over the date for the past two years," he joked.

About the Mallorcan, who will arrive this Thursday, he also said that it is "nice to be able to call one of your biggest rivals 'friend'." Nadal, however, will not be his only rival, since in addition to the individual meeting between the two champions, a doubles tournament will also be held, in which the Spaniard will pair up with South African comedian Trevor Noah and Federer with businessman Bill Gates .

For the Swiss tennis player, this match will be "special" as it is the first time he plays in South Africa, the land where his mother was born and where he still has family. The meeting is organized by its foundation and, thanks to the sale of tickets, sponsorships and donations, expects to raise more than one million dollars for educational projects .

Federer confessed that he develops with "passion" this type of projects, although he confesses "shy" when talking about them. "(The Match in Africa) connects all the (relevant) points for me: playing tennis, raising money, showing people what you do, (e) inspiring others," said the current ATP world number 3 . Also, he ruled out an imminent withdrawal from the professional circuit: "I feel pretty good and I feel I can still compete at the highest level," he said.

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