Seasoned tennis specialist Hendrien Grové will spearhead SuperSport’s Friday broadcast of the much-awaited “Match in Africa”, the showdown in Cape Town between superstars Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Grové will produce the four-hour spectacle, including a celebrity match, that will be distributed internationally.
The local broadcast will begin at 6.30pm on Friday (SuperSport 1).
Having travelled to tournaments like Wimbledon, where she has interviewed stars like Federer, Nadal, Novak Djokovic and the Williams sisters, Grové is looking forward to being part of what may amount to the biggest event in the history of domestic tennis.
“This production is different from producing any other match, because the event is not only about the tennis, it is about entertaining the people of South Africa, putting up a spectacular show,” said Grove, who produced the last SA Open to be held, in 2011, and won by Kevin Anderson.
“We will be aiming to reflect this in the broadcast. At the same time we also need to ensure that the broadcast quality of the actual match is of the highest calibre. It is a daunting prospect, since we don’t get a lot of opportunities to produce live tennis in the country, but I’m determined to make it work.”
Fittingly, Rob Koenig will be among the commentators. A former South African tennis professional, he now commentates on the biggest events in the world, including the Grand Slams. He will be joined by Jason Goodall, another familiar voice on the ATP World Tour circuit.
Renowned broadcast anchor Carol Tshabalala, who has been on the big stage for events such as the FIFA World Cup draw, will be handling things courtside.
Given that there will be a charity dimension – the Roger Federer Foundation supports school readiness initiatives across Africa – this is part of the initiative that Grové especially wants to reflect in the broadcast.
“This is most important to Roger Federer,” she said. “He wants to play in front of the people in South Africa because his mom was raised here, but he also wants to make a difference in the lives of people across Africa.”
Grové added that both the evening and the broadcast will have several special touches, from interaction with some of SA’s biggest sports stars to meeting those close to Federer himself.