• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
LeadershipPointCloud

Bill Gates and Roger Federer Team Up for Charity

Barb Darrow
By
Barb Darrow
Barb Darrow
Down Arrow Button Icon
Barb Darrow
By
Barb Darrow
Barb Darrow
Down Arrow Button Icon
April 6, 2017, 9:06 AM ET

Two titans will meet on a tennis court late this month to raise money for education efforts in Africa.

One is Bill Gates, captain of industry, co-founder of Microsoft (MSFT) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The other is tennis legend Roger Federer, winner of 18 Grand Slam tournaments and currently ranked the No. 4 player in the world by the Association of Tennis Professionals.

Unfortunately, the two won’t face each other but they will partner in a warm-up doubles match against American tennis player John Isner and a “surprise celebrity” partner. Then Federer and Isner, ranked 23rd in the world, will face off.

Tickets for the event, to take place April 29 at Seattle’s KeyArena, go on sale Thursday. Proceeds will benefit the Roger Federer Charitable Fund/Roger Federer Foundation.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter

The video touting the event, released this week, shows a solitary Federer practicing serves in an empty arena. Well, almost empty. There is one loud-mouthed kibitzer: Guess who? Federer tweeted a link to it.

Some fans have no respect… pic.twitter.com/FQkSIr3xnh

— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) April 4, 2017

“I’m a huge fan of Roger’s work on and off the court,” Gates said in a prepared statement.

“We share a love of tennis (although he might be a little better than I am) and a belief that all children deserve a world-class education. Roger’s foundation does great work to support education in Africa, so it will be a lot of fun to play alongside him for such an important cause.”

There is, to use a tortured term, synergy here. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation funds healthcare and education efforts in Africa and elsewhere around the world.

About the Author
Barb Darrow
By Barb Darrow
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Leadership

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Leadership

Enbridge CEO Greg Ebel at the CERAWeek by S&P Global conference in Houston on March 25, 2026.
Energypower
Enbridge aims to help North America win from the AI boom and the Iran war as the FedEx of energy delivery
By Jordan BlumMay 4, 2026
45 minutes ago
jason corso
Commentarydisruption
AI models are choking on junk data
By Jason CorsoMay 3, 2026
18 hours ago
He started as a part-time Starbucks barista at 17. Now he’s an exec designing the menu
SuccessCareer Advice
He started as a part-time Starbucks barista at 17. Now he’s an exec designing the menu
By Orianna Rosa RoyleMay 3, 2026
19 hours ago
The Diary of a CEO founder Steven Bartlett
SuccessThe Interview Playbook
Diary of a CEO founder says he hired someone with ‘zero’ work experience because she ‘thanked the security guard by name’ before the interview
By Emma BurleighMay 3, 2026
19 hours ago
Sam Altman speaks into a microphone
AILabor
Sam Altman says the quiet part out loud, confirming some companies are ‘AI washing’ by blaming unrelated layoffs on the technology
By Sasha RogelbergMay 3, 2026
19 hours ago
blake
CommentaryHousing
I spent a decade selling homes to the ultra-wealthy. What I saw explains the housing market’s nepo problem
By Blake O'ShaughnessyMay 3, 2026
20 hours ago

Most Popular

America got rich and got sad. A top economist says 2020 broke something that hasn't healed
Economy
America got rich and got sad. A top economist says 2020 broke something that hasn't healed
By Nick LichtenbergMay 3, 2026
21 hours ago
Scott Bessent on financial literacy: 'it drives me crazy' to see young men in blue-collar construction jobs playing the lottery
Personal Finance
Scott Bessent on financial literacy: 'it drives me crazy' to see young men in blue-collar construction jobs playing the lottery
By Fatima Hussein and The Associated PressMay 1, 2026
3 days ago
Sam Altman says the quiet part out loud, confirming some companies are ‘AI washing’ by blaming unrelated layoffs on the technology
AI
Sam Altman says the quiet part out loud, confirming some companies are ‘AI washing’ by blaming unrelated layoffs on the technology
By Sasha RogelbergMay 3, 2026
19 hours ago
Diary of a CEO founder says he hired someone with 'zero' work experience because she 'thanked the security guard by name' before the interview
Success
Diary of a CEO founder says he hired someone with 'zero' work experience because she 'thanked the security guard by name' before the interview
By Emma BurleighMay 3, 2026
19 hours ago
I spent a decade selling homes to the ultra-wealthy. What I saw explains the housing market's nepo problem
Commentary
I spent a decade selling homes to the ultra-wealthy. What I saw explains the housing market's nepo problem
By Blake O'ShaughnessyMay 3, 2026
20 hours ago
Gen Z is rebelling against the economy with ‘disillusionomics,’ tackling near 6-figure debt by turning life into a giant list of income streams
Economy
Gen Z is rebelling against the economy with ‘disillusionomics,’ tackling near 6-figure debt by turning life into a giant list of income streams
By Jacqueline MunisMay 2, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.