Two Day Exhibition Matches End: Federer Triumphs in Zurich, Nadal Wins in Madrid
The exhibition matches for the tennis stars respective foundations concluded with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal winning one clash each.
The 29-year old Federer triumphed against arch-rival Nadal, winning the first charity match for his foundation on Tuesday in Zurich. The final match score was 4-6, 6-3, 6-3. The event managed to raise a total of $2.6 million.
“This is a special match for me, which I will remember forever, not just only for a long, long time. I thought obviously of doing a match like this for a long time, but I felt comfortable doing it this year and Rafa was so supportive
and coming over and helping. I will look back on this with very fond memories forever and that I was able to pull off this event here in Switzerland for the first time so nicely and with such hype, it was just amazing,” said the Swiss tennis maestro after
the match.
Both the top ranked players on the tour put up a good show at the Hallenstadion Arena, in their first encounter since last month’s title battle at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London. World No.1 Rafael Nadal, who had lost
to the Swiss maestro in the season finale event, capitalised on a double break point during the ninth game before taking the first at love.
Federer, the Basel native, however took no time to turn things around for himself in the second set and thus immediately took a lead of 3-0. The right-hander maintained his lead throughout the set and thus sealed it in the end
at 6-3. Currently ranked number two in the South African Airways ATP list, Federer continued his dominance in the decisive set and won the last four games of the match to clinch a win on a return of serve.
The fun and excitement continued in Madrid a day after, where the second charity match was played between the two top tennis contenders on the tour. This time Nadal and Federer met on the clay court to raise funds for Nadal’s foundation,
“Joining Forces for the Benefit of Children”.
The 2010 United States Open winner, Nadal, as expected made no mistake whatsoever to triumph on his favourite surface and thus leveled the scores at 1-1. The final match score was 7-6, 4-6, 6-1.
Both of them stepped onto the court, completely backed by the children in attendance thus keeping the cause for their meeting clear. The exhibition clashes together raised a total of $5 million for poor children in Africa as well
as around the world.
The match started with both the contenders playing confidently, however it was the Spaniard who eventually took the opening set at 7-6 as a result of playing some great tennis against his arch-rival.
Roger earned the only service break during the fifth game of the second set, however Rafa immediately took control in the third, sealing a win in the end with a score line of 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-1.
The 24-year old Rafael Nadal, who made his debut on the ATP tour back in 2001, declared after the match, "I am lucky enough to be able to do what I love to do which is to play tennis, but at the same time, through my Foundation,
I get the opportunity to help hundreds of kids who are not as lucky.”
Tennis fans will have another opportunity to see the arch-rivals playing against each other at the 2011 Qatar ExxonMobil Open to be held in Doha next month.
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