Roger Federer and Bill Gates exemplify tennis' philanthropy philosophy

As most of the ATP tour was grinding through the European clay-court swing, Roger Federer was on an

indoor hard court, halfway around the world in Seattle, playing an exhibition. It was a money grab, in the very best way.

Federer and his esteemed company—business magnate Bill Gates, top-ranked American John Isner and Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready—played singles and doubles, entertained 16,000 fans at KeyArena and, most importantly, raised money for a worthy cause. It was the second time in three weeks that the Roger Federer Foundation put on a charity event, and after it was over, a beaming Federer announced that The Match for Africa 4 raised $2 million to provide educational opportunities for one million children in Africa by 2018.

“Being able to call upon Bill and ask him for advice, and now with our two foundations knowing each other, it’s a different world,” Federer said on court.

Federer is among tennis’ stars who have realized the value in using their sport to help those in need. Chris Evert hosts the Chris Evert Raymond James Pro-Celebrity Tennis Classic, where celebrities, entertainers and athletes raise money for at-risk families in Florida. Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, who purchased the Indian Wells event in 2009, organized Hit for Haiti to assist with relief aid after earthquakes ravaged the island nation in 2010.

Among the players in that exhibition was Andre Agassi, who has been nothing short of a model for athletes and charity. The American started the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education in 1994 when he was 24; since then, more than $180 million has been raised, and his efforts continue to expand more than a decade after retirement.

The Agassi tree has many branches. Bob and Mike Bryan, Andy Roddick, James Blake and Isner regularly participate in fundraising events and have started their own foundations. Gustavo Kuerten, Novak Djokovic, Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams have used their positions atop the sport to help those less fortunate, creating legacies that go well beyond wins and losses.

These players—and, to be clear, countless others—have captured the spirit of Billie Jean King and Arthur Ashe, who paved the way for a more inclusive game. Since their playing days, tennis has boomed with added wealth and exposure. It has also empowered more players to help others than ever.

Federer began his foundation in 2003. Then, he was merely a promising 21-year-old. Nineteen Grand Slams later, the all-time great’s philanthropic efforts may be most impressive of all.

“Of course Roger is a world champion in tennis,” Janine Handel, CEO of Federer’s foundation, said in Seattle. “But maybe what he does off the court has even much more meaning—and maybe even bigger and greater than his successes in tennis.”

For generations, and for generations to come, tennis has positively impacted the young and old, on and off the court, in countless ways. In this year’s Heroes special, we’ve selected 30 such stories, including a 10-year-old amputee’s life-changing moment with Roger Federer, the rebuilding of a college program after Hurricane Katrina, a former prodigy’s important message as an adult, and a 78-year-old coach’s enduring influence on the pros. Taken together, these 30 stories illustrate how people grow up, grow as individuals and grow old with tennis—the sport of a lifetime.Click here for more Heroes stories.