Roger Federer is battling injury ahead of Friday’s Match for Africa against Rafael Nadal at Cape Town Stadium.
The 38-year-old battled back and groin strains at the Australian Open last week, but he is hopeful that he will be in top shape to team up with Bill Gates to take on Nadal and Trevor Noah.
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Federer, whose mother is South African, tells Tennishead: “I couldn’t be more excited now that it’s actually really happening.
“I hope I’m going to be really fine to play. I believe I am, but we’ll see.”
He adds of the event: “I’m sure it’s going to be very, very special for me on many levels to play there [in South Africa].
“I don’t know what took me so long, to be quite honest.
“I said, ‘It’s not possible that I’m on the tour for 20 years, I’ve become the player that I have been, and I’ve never played in South
Africa. It’s just not OK.’ I couldn’t live with myself if that happened.”