Federer-Zverev Exhibition Match Breaks World Tennis Attendance Record
Roger Federer’s exhibition match against Germany’s Alexander Zverev claimed a new world record for attendance at a tennis match on Saturday in Mexico City with more than 42,000 people watching.
Federer beat Zverev 6-3, 4-6, 2-6 in Mexico City’s bullring in front of the record setting 42,517 crowd.
Saturday’s match marked the first time Federer, 38, had played in Mexico since he was a junior, and was part of the Swiss’ South American tour, which also included meetings with Zverev in Chile and Argentina.
The match smashed an almost decade-old record of 35,681 set at another exhibition game between Belgian Kim Clijsters and Serena Williams in Belgium in 2010.
Federer has previously announced his intention to set a new world record for attendance when he meets Rafael Nadal in an exhibition match in South Africa in February.
That duel will be staged at the Cape Town Stadium, which has a capacity of 55,000.
The Feb. 7 clash will take place under the banner of the Roger Federer Foundation, “Match in Africa” which is involved in charitable work in Africa.
The curtain raiser is a doubles match in which Federer will partner Microsoft founder Bill Gates against Nadal who will play alongside South African comedian Trevor Noah.
Tickets to the duels sold out in South Africa within 10 minuted of going on sale.
By Gerald Dandah
