Rafael Nadal, Coco Gauff, Maria Sakkari, Alex Zverev, Frances Tiafoe, and Alex de Minaur will feature in the Tennis Plays for Peace charity spectacular at Rod Laver Arena on Wednesday 11 January. With events still taking place in Adelaide and Hobart, further player participation will be announced closer to the event.
All funds raised from the star-studded night of tennis and entertainment will support the humanitarian efforts in Ukraine by UNICEF Australia and Global Giving, which are providing help on the ground.
“Tennis is a truly global sport with an international playing community that has a history of stepping up and helping out. Through Tennis Plays for Peace the tennis community can offer practical assistance through fundraising, as well as show our heartfelt support for the victims of the war,” Australian Open Tournament Director Craig Tiley explained.
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“We look forward to a spectacular night of tennis and entertainment and a wonderful opportunity to come together and raise much-needed funds.”
Tennis Plays for Peace, which has raised $3.2 million, will include a couple of fun exhibition matches with a star-studded line-up.
In addition, 98-year-old Leonid Stanislavskyi from Ukraine’s Kharkiv region will arrive in Australia early next week as an honoured guest. He has laid down a challenge to fellow nonagenarian, 98-year-old Henry Young from Adelaide, and the two will take to Rod Laver Arena for the Battle of the Centurions.
Both men are life-long tennis players who take to the court every week and last year Stanislavskyi was officially recognised by the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s oldest tennis player.
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Vika & Linda will get the crowd rocking with their distinctive vocal sound and the Melbourne-based Volya: Ukrainian Combined Choir (Volya means freedom in Ukrainian), will give a moving performance.
Tennis Plays for Peace is a global initiative to bring the tennis community and fans together to support the humanitarian relief efforts for the war in Ukraine. It is supported by all the Grand Slams, the ATP, WTA and ITF.
Tickets for Tennis Plays for Peace are $25 for adults and $5 for children and available here. For more information, visit the Australian Open website here.