Trevor Noah talks learning tennis on the Ellen Show



Trevor Noah recently sat down with Ellen Degeneres on the Ellen Show to talk about an experience that started off slightly terrifying, but finished off magical.

Bill Gates ended up giving the South African comedian an opportunity to play a part in tennis history at the Match in Africa earlier this month.

"In two months I had to learn tennis from scratch," Noah told Degeneres. "Panicked!"

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA - FEBRUARY 07: Trevor Noah and Rafael Nadal of Spain during the Match in Africa between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal at Cape Town Stadium on February 07, 2020 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images/Getty Images)
© Gallo Images

Getty Images

It turned out he was agreeing to much more than just a casual hitting session, as Noah was going to play in a competitive match with Gates, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in Cape Town.

American philanthropist Bill Gates (R) reacts towards South African Comedian Trevor Noah (L) during their double's tennis match at The Match in Africa at the Cape Town Stadium, in Cape Town on February 7, 2020. (Photo by RODGER BOSCH / AFP) (Photo by RODGER BOSCH/AFP via Getty Images)
© AFP via Getty Images

Getty Images

Noah quickly realized playing tennis is much harder than it looks. Federer's team requested that Noah send a video of himself playing. A panicked Noah got himself a coach and worked on his game for two months, for two hours a day, saying it was, "one of the craziest things I've done in my life."

His first coach couldn't believe how inexperienced he was.

"I'm trying to brush this ball, it's not going anywhere," Noah said. "I'm going to look like an idiot in front of 52,000 people and streamed around the world."

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA - FEBRUARY 07: Roger Federer of Switzerland, Trevor Noah and Rafael Nadal of Spain interacts after the Match in Africa between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal at Cape Town Stadium on February 07, 2020 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images/Getty Images)
© Gallo Images

Getty Images

But he found a way to get good enough to share a court quite respectably with two living legends. He would team up with Nadal, and lose 6-3 to Federer and Gates. Everyone won as they helped raise $3.5 million dollars towards the Roger Federer Foundation. Federer's charity helps and supports the well-being and education of children in Africa.

South African Comedian Trevor Noah reacts after a point against Switzerland's Roger Federer and American philanthropist Bill Gates during their double's tennis match at The Match in Africa at the Cape Town Stadium, in Cape Town on February 7, 2020. (Photo by RODGER BOSCH / AFP) (Photo by RODGER BOSCH/AFP via Getty Images)
© AFP via Getty Images

Getty Images

Noah is now forever a part of history as the Match in Africa gathered a crowd of 52,000, marking the largest attendance ever for a tennis match.