Madrid, 23 October 2010 | AP

After only three Rafael Nadal-Roger Federer matches in two seasons, tennis fans will get two straight doses of the sport’s biggest rivalry come Christmas.

Nadal announced on Friday that the two will play a charity match for Africa in Zurich on December 21, then the next day in Spain for Nadal’s charity foundation.

Nadal says they “wanted to take advantage of our head-to-head rivalry over recent years … and help people who need it.”

The top-ranked Nadal, who will play the Paris Masters before closing with the ATP World Tour Finals in London, says he is feeling some fatigue from a successful season where he won the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open.