Federer Makes Emotional Visit To Ethiopia

World number one Roger Federer sends the ball spinning into the net. His opponent, Ethiopian teenager, Jirata Demksa, smiles and prays the Swiss is having an off day.

But Federer just pauses and, taking a deep breath, serves a blistering ace. The 17-year-old, realising he's beaten, simply shrugs.

"He's the best tennis player ever," he says. "I am just lucky we played ping-pong."

Jirata says he will never forget taking two points from Federer in an impromptu game of table tennis at a school the tennis ace funds in the poor country. For Federer, this week's visit to Ethiopia was one that moved him to tears.

"When I arrived at the school and all of the children were singing, it was very emotional," Federer told Reuters. "They sang, 'Roger, our Father' to me. I didn't really understand it at the beginning but I still had tears in my eyes.