Posts tagged stars
Tennis Stars Kick In Support for Japan
Mar 23rd
The Desert Sun/The Desert Sun/Zuma Press
Rafael Nadal reacts to winning a long rally with Juan Martin Del Potro, of Argentina, in the BNP Paribas Open men’s singles semifinal.
Several of the world’s top tennis players are raising money for victims of Japan’s devastation by playing soccer. The players, including No. 1-ranked Rafael Nadal (pictured), No. 2 Novak Djokovic, and No. 5 Andy Murray, will show off their footwork in an exhibition match against the Fort Lauderdale Strikers of the North American Soccer League tonight in Miami. Strikers coach Daryl Shore said his players would have fun and keep their tennis counterparts healthy. “I don’t think you’re going to see any slide tackling,” he said.
—Tom PerrottaBig Year Projected For Yankees’ Teixeira
New York Yankees slugger Mark Teixeira is set to have a big season, according to a recent simulation by the makers of “MLB 11 The Show.” The video-game simulation projected the Yankees slugger to hit a career-high 52 homers. The game also projected Seattle’s Chone Figgins to steal 65 bases and Texas’ Brandon Webb to win 18 games.
A Busted Bracket? Blame the Rams
If you are looking for a scapegoat for your busted NCAA tournament bracket, blame Virginia Commonwealth. Of the 5.9 million entries in ESPN’s Tournament Challenge, 88% were submitted before Wednesday evening, when VCU beat Southern California in an opening-round game. Only 2.4% of participants projected the No. 11-seeded Rams to advance to the Sweet 16.
—Ben Cohen
From online.wsj.com
Serena Williams’ Butt Stars in Mind-Boggling Top Spin 4 Ad – UPDATED
Mar 22nd
Serena Williams and Rileah Vanderbilt take their clothes off, shake their moneymakers and play some virtual tennis in a new ad for 2K Sports’ Top Spin 4 that gives a whole new meaning to “women’s doubles.”
Serena Williams is “The World’s Sexiest Tennis Player.” Rileah Vanderbilt is “The World’s Sexiest Tennis Gamer.” And now, because somebody in marketing thought it would be a good idea, we get to watch them dress up in outfits that would make Emma Frost blush, shake their junk in close-up and play Top Spin 4 in slow-motion while a hard-driving techno-beat, punctuated by their grunts and groans, pounds in the background. Fishnet stockings, stiletto heels, hi-cuts, lo-cuts and a pretty extreme zoom-in on sweaty boobs wrapped in faux leather are all on display and no, I am not making any of this up.
I don’t even know where to begin. On one hand, I’m a guy and as a guy I have a certain appreciation for ladies who don’t mind frolicking in their skivvies. On the other hand, what is wrong with you, 2K? I know you’re not responsible for leading the industry’s charge to legitimacy and maybe it’s all tongue-in-cheek and sure, nobody gets stabbed or shot or blown up, but come on! This is not helping!
And how is this supposed to sell videogames, anyway? All I can think about is that Serena Williams looks like she could crack walnuts with her butt.
UPDATE: 2K Sports is putting some space between itself and the ad, claiming that it really had nothing at all to do with it. “As part of the process for creating marketing campaigns to support our titles, we pursue a variety of creative avenues,” the company told Joystiq. “This video is not part of the title’s final marketing campaign and its distribution was unauthorized.”
From www.escapistmagazine.com
Young tennis stars coming to Weymouth
Feb 23rd
The Weymouth Club has been selected by the United States Tennis Association as one of only eight sites around the nation as a Regional Training Center for its junior development program.
The USTA Player Development made the announcement as part of its continuing effort to develop the next generation of world-class American players.
There was only one other site in New England selected, that being in Manchester, Mass. In addition, there were two venues each in New Jersey and Kansas, as well as one each in Philadelphia and Oklahoma.
In all since 2008, the USTA has selected only 20 programs in the nation as Certified Regional Training Center.
Two of the factors that led to the Weymouth Club being selected were its tennis programming for youngsters as young as 3 years old as well as its Quick Start clinics.
QuickStart Tennis is a play format that has been developed to help kids 10 and younger play the game of tennis. To make the game more accessible to children, several elements have been modified, including the court size, the racquet size, the balls, the scoring system, and even the net height.
“It’s a thrill to be selected as a regional training site for the USTA,” said Rich Synnott, the club’s executive director. “Not only does it validate the strength of our junior program and the quality of our tennis pros, but it will also provide our young players the opportunity to intermix with some of the best young players from all over New England.”
“We are honored to have been selected to participate in this illustrious program,” said Dave Preston, the director of tennis at the Weymouth Club. “We take great pride in the development of our sport and making tennis accessible to a wider audience and this association with the USTA will help us achieve that goal.”
As a USTA Certified Regional Training Centers, the Weymouth Club will enhance the training and development of junior players in the New England area. What’s more, USTA Player Development will use this new partnership as a vehicle to educate and collaborate with junior tennis coaches as they work together toward developing the next generation of world-class American players.
In addition to continuing their existing programs, the Weymouth Club will host USTA Player Development camps for players, ages 8-12, in this region. These players will be selected in conjunction with the USTA national coaching staff and their respective USTA Section Coaching Commission. The Weymouth Club will also help identify talent in players as young as 6 years old.
“Following two years of outstanding progress in the USTA Certified Regional Training Center Program, I am thrilled that we are able to announce this broad expansion of the program,” said Patrick McEnroe, general manager, USTA Player Development.
“One of USTA Player Development’s goals is to reach as many of this country’s top coaches and junior players in a collaborative environment, and these new USTA Certified Regional Training Centers will help us continue to expand that outreach.”
“Each of the eight programs have done a wonderful job of developing talent in their local communities, and we are thrilled to add them to our list of USTA Certified Regional Training Centers,” said Martin Blackman, senior director, Talent Identification and Development, USTA Player Development, who oversees the Regional Training Center program.
“The USTA looks forward to working with these eight programs to foster and develop the abundance of talent throughout the Northeast and the Missouri Valley.”
From www.patriotledger.com
Keeler: Slam still thrilling without top stars
Feb 1st
Keeler: Slam still thrilling without top stars 
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The Australian Open can sometimes be a good barometer for how the rest of the season may go in the world of tennis.
If this year’s Open is any indication, it should be a great season, especially on the men’s side. As usual, the first slam of the season had a little bit of everything and a lot of great tennis.
Despite Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer not being in the final, I found myself more excited than ever to watch the title match of this year’s tournament. It was the first time in three years that neither Nadal nor Federer was in a slam final. That’s part of what made Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray’s match so interesting and refreshing.
I also think it’s a sign of things to come. Federer, at 29, isn’t as good as he was four or five years ago. Even he can’t escape Father Time and he probably won’t win many more majors in his career. I don’t think anyone should feel sorry for the all-time leader in slams (16 titles); instead, every tennis fan should just enjoy watching one of the all-time greats while he’s still playing.
Nadal once again suffered an injury, this time a slight hamstring tear. There’s no doubt that Nadal is the best player in the game when he’s healthy. Unfortunately, the “all-out, run every shot down and play every point like it’s the most important in the world” style that makes him so much fun to watch is also what leads to injury after injury. The only question with Nadal, who is only 24, is always how long will his body hold up? With nine slams already under his belt he could break Federer’s record, but I wouldn’t count on it. He may have to consider scaling back the number of tournaments he plays in each year in order to stay healthy.
As usual, Nadal was a picture of class when he was interviewed after his loss to David Ferrer. Nadal didn’t want to answer questions about his injury or use it as an excuse. Instead, he said he wanted the focus to be on how well Ferrer had played.
I thought it was fitting that the final was between Djokovic and Murray, since they are the two that have constantly been in the shadow of Nadal and Federer. They are usually ranked No. 3 and No. 4, and are often falling to Nadal and Federer in slam semifinals. For once, the spotlight was on them.
The final wasn’t as close or dramatic as I would have liked, but it also wasn’t much of a surprise. Personally, I was calling the match the Djoker vs. the choker. The reality is that Murray has made a habit of choking in the biggest of matches, and the trend continued in this year’s final.
When the pressure is on, he freezes up and plays passively. With the first set tied at 4-4, he did it once again. Murray, who is known for his great movement, suddenly moved like he was trying to run in quicksand. His steady game was flooded by errors. He lost seven consecutive games as Djokovic cruised to his second major title (both in Australia).
If Murray is going to finally win a major (which I think he one day will), he has to learn how to handle his nerves and play aggressive tennis. In three slam finals he has yet to win a set, and he looked terrible in each match. One of my favorite saying in sports is, “Champions take chances.” Murray will have to learn that if he wants to end Great Britain’s slam champion drought, which is now at 75 years running.
Djokovic is playing the best tennis of his career. Last year his serve was horrible and he had more double faults than aces, but still managed to finish at No. 3 in the world. He made some adjustments with his serve and it’s now back to being solid and can give him some easy points, which every top player needs to have. He also helped his country, Serbia, win the Davis Cup at the end of last year, and he hasn’t come down off of the high yet. Not to mention he had former women’s No. 1 Ana Ivanovic in his player box for the semifinals and final (how’s that for some good luck?).
When Djokovic burst onto the tennis scene in 2003, he was expected to be one of the future stars of the game — and he had the personality to match it. He was known as a brash, talented player, who sometimes said things he shouldn’t have. He wasn’t afraid to say that he was the future of tennis, and he wasn’t intimidated by Federer.
It took a few years, but Djokovic is finally reaching the potential everyone knew he had. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if he won more slams this year, and even moved into one of the top two spots in the rankings. Those two spots have been home to Nadal and Federer for the last six years. But all things have to change sometime, and I think in this case change would be great for the game. With a few more slams, Djokovic could begin to be mentioned with the likes of Nadal and Federer, and I think there’s always room at the top for more great players.
This year’s Australian Open also showcased some other future talents of the game. Bernard Tomic, Milos Raonic and Alexander Dolgopolov had strong tournaments and all are between the age of 18 and 22. Don’t be surprised if at least one of them challenges for a major before their career is over, and all three could be Top 10 players.
I love the rivalry between Nadal and Federer, and I hope the two have many more battles over the next few years. However, there’s always room for many more rivalries and more champions.
This year’s Australian Open showed that the future of the game is about more than just two players, and the future looks very bright.
From www.nvdaily.com
2K Sports Reveals Most Extensive Lineup of Tennis Stars Ever in Top Spin 4
Jan 18th
NEW YORK, Jan 18, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) —
2K Sports announced today that Top Spin 4, the latest iteration of the Top Spin tennis simulation video game franchise, will feature professional tennis athletes Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams and Andre Agassi on its cover. This will mark the first time in a decade that Andre Agassi will be featured in an interactive entertainment experience. Top Spin 4 is planned for release on March 15, 2011 for the Xbox 360(R) video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation(R)3 computer entertainment system and Wii(TM) system.
“Tennis has been in my life for as long as I can remember,” said Andre Agassi, former No. 1-ranked player in the world, winner of eight Grand Slam singles tournaments and 17 ATP Master Series tournaments. “I hope that with Top Spin 4 players can enjoy the sport as much as I have.”
In development at 2K Czech, Top Spin 4 brings the competitive action of tennis to life like never before with redesigned controls, jaw-dropping player models and enhanced TV-style presentation elements. Each of the title’s top athletes and legendary pros will be equipped with 2K Sports’ Signature Style animations, including player-specific swing styles and behavioral AI, custom celebrations and outfits.
“Top Spin 4 does a phenomenal job capturing the unique authenticity and highly competitive skills of these 25 world-class athletes,” said Jason Argent, vice president of marketing for 2K Sports. “When playing Top Spin 4, we wanted consumers to feel they are playing more than a tennis game, we wanted them to feel like they are in a world title prize fight.”
Top Spin 4 features the largest roster in the franchise to date, including Andre Agassi, Bjorn Borg, Roger Federer, Jim Courier, Rafael Nadal, Boris Becker, Serena Williams, Patrick Rafter, Michael Chang, Dinara Safina, Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, Ana Ivanovic, Ivan Lendel, Pete Sampras, Andy Roddick, James Blake, Caroline Wozniacki, Nikolay Davydenko, Gilles Simon, Bernard Tomic, Eugenie Bouchard, Stanislas Wawrinka, Vera Zvonareva, and Jelena Jankovic.
To commemorate this fourth entry in the Top Spin series, 2K Sports is offering an exclusive vintage Andre Agassi playable character for free in North America only when gamers pre-order* and reserve their copy of Top Spin 4 at GameStop.
Details of the pre-order offer are as follows:
Available while supplies last for all GameStop online and in-store pre-orders of Top Spin 4 on Xbox 360 and PlayStation(R) 3 system. The vintage Andre Agassi playable character is only available with this offer and is redeemable at time of purchase. Online customers: Code and instructions on redeeming the vintage Andre Agassi playable character will be emailed when the game releases. Store/in-store pickup customers: Code and instructions on redeeming the vintage Andre Agassi playable character will be printed on the receipt at time of purchase.
For additional information, please visit: www.gamestop.com/topspin4.
Top Spin 4 is not yet rated by the ESRB. For more information, visit: www.facebook.com/TopSpin4 or follow Top Spin 4 news via Twitter: @2KSports.
*Pre-Order only valid for Xbox 360 and PS3(TM) versions of Top Spin 4.
2K Sports is a division of 2K, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO | PowerRating).
About Take-Two Interactive Software
Headquartered in New York City, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is a global developer, marketer and publisher of interactive entertainment software games for the PC, PlayStation(R)3 and PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment systems, PSP(R) (PlayStation(R)Portable) system, Xbox 360(R) video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Wii(TM), Nintendo DS(TM), iPhone(R), iPod(R) touch and iPad(TM). The Company publishes and develops products through its wholly owned labels Rockstar Games and 2K, which publishes its titles under 2K Games, 2K Sports and 2K Play. The Company’s common stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol TTWO. For more corporate and product information please visit our website at www.take2games.com.
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Tennis: ‘Elder’ Roddick mentors young US stars
Jan 17th
MELBOURNE, Jan 17, 2011 (AFP) – - Andy Roddick said he has become the elder statesman of American tennis and a mentor for his younger compatriots on tour after he skated to an easy victory in the Australian Open on Monday.
The American number one blasted aside Jan Hajek of the Czech Republic, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 in the opening round as he attempts to improve on his four semi-final appearances at the season-opening Grand Slam.
Eighth seed Roddick and Mardy Fish led a mixed first day for the American men, with younger stars Sam Querrey and Ryan Harrison bounced out of the tournament.
Roddick, 28, has been in the vanguard of American men’s tennis since the retirement of eight-time major winner Andre Agassi in 2006 and finished in the top 10 for the ninth straight year last season.
“I feel like I’ve been the elder statesman ever since Andre retired, in all honesty,” Roddick said.
“I certainly feel like I’m a guy that a lot of the guys come to. Maybe I’m the guy that gets asked some of the questions a little bit more, but that’s a role I’ve always been happy in.
“I think that I’ll give them whatever opinions I have on pretty much anything.”
Roddick said he has regular discussions with 18-year-old Harrison, who lost in straight sets to Frenchman Adrian Mannarino on Monday.
“I like Ryan because he does ask questions,” he said. “The stuff that makes him annoying now is going to make him really good someday, if that makes sense.
“He’s super-competitive. I haven’t talked to him since his match today.
“Again, I think he knows that I always want to try to help the other US guys if I can.”
rsm/th
From nz.sports.yahoo.com
Sports stars chip in to help in flood cleanup
Jan 15th
MELBOURNE, Australia – International and Australian sports stars began pitching in this weekend to help relief efforts in flood-ravaged Queensland state.
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal will headline a special sold-out “Rally for Relief” event at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne on Sunday, a day before the start of the Australian Open.
The floodwaters that swamped entire neighbourhoods in Brisbane, the state capital, left behind a thick layer of putrid sludge and affected more than 30,000 homes. Weeks of rain and flooding across Australia’s northeast have left 26 people dead and 20 more missing.
Federer said he watched details of the flooding on television while playing at a tournament in Qatar. It brought back memories of last year, when he was joined by Nadal and several other stars in a similar charity exhibition for victims of the Haiti earthquake.
“When I saw it hit the city of Rockhampton, I right away thought of Rod Laver,” Federer said of Laver’s birthplace. “I tried to reach out to him and see if he wanted to do anything, if he needed my help. Once I came down to Australia, I spoke to him.
“I said ‘This time we have more than 24 hours’ notice, so we’ll be able to generate more money, especially in a country where we’re playing right at the moment,’” Federer said. “It’s very appropriate and a must for us to do something as a tennis family really. I’m really happy we’ve been able to do it again.”
Laver agreed it was important for the “tennis family” to help the cause.
“I have been moved by what I have seen not only in my hometown but across Queensland and Australia,” Laver said in a statement. “This is a tragedy of international proportions and it is devastating to see so many families who now have nowhere to go.
“My thoughts are with you all and it makes me proud as an Australian to see how everyone pitches in during a time of crisis like this.”
Players competing Sunday will also donate the shirts they wore in the exhibition in a “Shirts off their Backs” auction that is expected to raise thousands more for the flood appeal, and buckets will be passed around during the event asking for donations.
On Saturday, Australian Open organizers held a “Kids are Free” day with entry for a small donation that will be passed along to groups helping flood victims.
Meanwhile, NBA star Andrew Bogut of the Milwaukee Bucks said he’ll auction off “The Bogut Experience” in a special bid to raise funds for the flood victims. The package includes two return flights to Los Angeles, two tickets to see his Bucks play the defending champions Los Angeles Lakers, and dinner with Bogut.
“I’m trying to raise awareness not only in Australia, but in the world that this is a huge issue and Australia needs not only Australia’s help, but the world’s help,” Bogut said.
The Portland Trail Blazers will send a percentage of Patrick Mills’s jersey sales toward the flood relief efforts.
“It is really tough knowing that your fellow Australians are going through this and you’re over here (in America), you feel helpless,” Mills said. “What I’m trying to do is do whatever I can to try and help out.”
Players from at least four National Rugby League clubs planned to fly north to help Brisbane and other areas clean up after the massive floods that devastated the area.
The Parramatta Eels united with other western Sydney clubs Penrith, Canterbury and Wests Tigers to aid the relief effort for those affected by the flooding.
The Queensland Reds Super 15 rugby team used their home stadium at Ballymore as a medical triage base Saturday. People with non-critical injuries from the floods were invited to see team doctors and other physicians for free.
“It’s inevitable that some people, including emergency response personnel will require treatment for injuries suffered as the result of wading through floodwaters and we expect the normal rate of hospital presentations to increase as a consequence,” said Queensland’s chief health officer Dr. Jeannette Young.
In horse racing, one of Australia’s biggest carnivals, the Magic Millions on the Gold Coast, south of Brisbane, scaled back the racing program and instead concentrated on raising a “magic” $1 million for the flood victims.
Stud nominations for mares were donated and were to be auctioned at the Magic Millions final premium yearling sale Saturday night. With nominations worth between $27,000 and $100,000 each, proceeds from their auction were expected to add at least $250,000 to the fund’s total.
From www.metronews.ca
Stars rally together to raise money for flood victims
Jan 13th
THE world’s leading tennis players will hit centre court at Melbourne Park on the eve of the Australian Open to help raise money for Queensland flood victims.
Queenslanders Pat Rafter and Sam Stosur yesterday announced the Tennis Australia a charity day, which will involve, among others, the world’s top two players, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
”We are going to get all the players involved, as many as want to get involved, get them on centre court and have a good, fun day and try to get everyone to dig deep,” Rafter said. ”Right throughout the tournament I think you’ll see things [continuing to raise money]. It’ll evolve over the two weeks because it’s just such a sudden thing to have happen.
”I would like to think we can raise close to $1 million. I hope so. It just seems such a small, insignificant amount when you think about the billions and billions of dollars [the floods have cost] though. We’ll keep trying our best and see what happens.”
It was only last week the tennis circus was in Brisbane, playing at the now underwater Pat Rafter Arena.
”To see pictures of places that you go to … I think the tennis community, everyone from overseas, all the players, they actually really know what it’s all about now having seen pictures of Patrick Rafter Arena where we were all playing last week,” Stosur said. ”To see that underwater … everyone who is not from here realises how bad it is.”
Rafter said his parents were safe on the Sunshine Coast, and other family members still in Brisbane were on high ground. However, he did have concerns earlier in the week when his brother-in-law who was ”stuck in Toowoomba”, was unable to be contacted. ”There for moment you wonder … anything could happen,” Rafter said.
Asked how he felt about seeing the Pat Rafter Arena underwater, he said: ”It’s just amazing. But it’s the least of our worries. It’s a tennis complex. We need to worry about the people and their houses and their livelihood. People’s businesses are going to be ruined.
”I think we’ll see a lot of great things and a lot people pull together and stick together and help everyone out. You know everyone will help each other. I think it’s going to be a really good bonding thing. It’s happening all over Australia, and it will happen in Queensland as well.”
The ATP and WTA tours will donate $10 for every ace served last week in Brisbane, this week in Sydney, and the next two weeks in Melbourne.
From www.waginargus.com.au
Stars rally together to raise money for flood victims
Jan 13th
Happier days … Pat Rafter. Photo: Reuters
THE world’s leading tennis players will hit centre court at Melbourne Park on the eve of the Australian Open to help raise money for Queensland flood victims.
Queenslanders Pat Rafter and Sam Stosur yesterday announced the Tennis Australia a charity day, which will involve, among others, the world’s top two players, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
”We are going to get all the players involved, as many as want to get involved, get them on centre court and have a good, fun day and try to get everyone to dig deep,” Rafter said. ”Right throughout the tournament I think you’ll see things [continuing to raise money]. It’ll evolve over the two weeks because it’s just such a sudden thing to have happen.
”I would like to think we can raise close to $1 million. I hope so. It just seems such a small, insignificant amount when you think about the billions and billions of dollars [the floods have cost] though. We’ll keep trying our best and see what happens.”
It was only last week the tennis circus was in Brisbane, playing at the now underwater Pat Rafter Arena.
”To see pictures of places that you go to … I think the tennis community, everyone from overseas, all the players, they actually really know what it’s all about now having seen pictures of Patrick Rafter Arena where we were all playing last week,” Stosur said. ”To see that underwater … everyone who is not from here realises how bad it is.”
Rafter said his parents were safe on the Sunshine Coast, and other family members still in Brisbane were on high ground. However, he did have concerns earlier in the week when his brother-in-law who was ”stuck in Toowoomba”, was unable to be contacted. ”There for moment you wonder … anything could happen,” Rafter said.
Asked how he felt about seeing the Pat Rafter Arena underwater, he said: ”It’s just amazing. But it’s the least of our worries. It’s a tennis complex. We need to worry about the people and their houses and their livelihood. People’s businesses are going to be ruined.
”I think we’ll see a lot of great things and a lot people pull together and stick together and help everyone out. You know everyone will help each other. I think it’s going to be a really good bonding thing. It’s happening all over Australia, and it will happen in Queensland as well.”
The ATP and WTA tours will donate $10 for every ace served last week in Brisbane, this week in Sydney, and the next two weeks in Melbourne.
From www.smh.com.au
Tennis stars to help Australia’s flood victims
Jan 13th
SYDNEY: Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are among the big names in tennis to take part in a special exhibition on the eve of the Australian Open to raise money for the victims of Australia’s flood disaster.
All-time Grand Slam champion Federer, world number one Nadal, Kim Clijsters, Lleyton Hewitt, Novak Djokovic and Pat Rafter are among the elite players who will play in the Rally for Relief match at Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena Sunday.
The heart-rending scenes of Queensland’s floods which have left 14 people dead and inundated Australia’s third-largest city Brisbane have shaken the international tennis fraternity, gathering in Melbourne for Monday’s season-opening Grand Slam.
“Along with many of the other players I was moved by the devastation caused by the floods in Australia,” Federer said in a statement.
“We just wanted to do something to help aid the recovery because we know there are thousands of Australians who will continue to suffer as a result of this disaster.”
Nadal said he was delighted to be able to contribute in some way to the flood victims.
“This is a terrible tragedy, not only the loss of life but the destruction of people’s homes,” Nadal said.
“I am pleased to be able to contribute in some way to help bring it to the attention of the world and raise some money for the victims in the process.”
Hewitt, Australia’s two-time Grand Slam champion, said it was time for the tennis community to do their bit for those affected.
“As an Australian I cannot help but be touched by such an awful turn of events. It is a disaster on a massive scale,” Hewitt said.
“If the tennis community can also help play a role in the recovery then we should, both in Australia and internationally. I just think at a time like this it is a case of getting all hands on deck.”
Australians Pat Rafter and Sam Stosur officially announced the Rally for Relief at the Sydney International tournament in a major fundraising campaign by the international tennis community.
“The plight of the flood victims has struck a chord with the entire tennis fraternity,” Rafter said.
“As a Queenslander I am really heartened by the concern and the keenness from our sport to get in and do something to ease the suffering.”
Fellow Queenslander Stosur is already donating 100 dollars for every ace she serves in Australian tournaments this summer.
From timesofindia.indiatimes.com
