The world’s top men’s tennis players, including Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Roger Federer, attended the official Barclays ATP World Tour Finals Gala, at Battersea Power Station in London on Thursday evening. The event, supported by Moët & Chandon, raised more than £400,000 for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity.
Brit Award winner KT Tunstall gave an exclusive performance at the Gala which officially launched the 2011 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, the year-end climax to the men’s professional tennis season to be played 20-27 November at The O2, and raised vital funds for a new heart and lung centre at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
“I’m very happy to be here tonight, and I’m proud to qualify for the season-ending event for a 10th time,” said defending champion Federer. “We have a great group of players this year and it’s fantastic to have this launch party. It’s something new and it’s for a great cause. It’s very nice to see that the ATP and the players have come together to support charity tonight.”
An auction was held on the night, and the singles players and doubles teams competing at the 2011 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals collectively contributed to purchase a pendant, a vital piece of equipment, for Great Ormond Street Hospital’s cardiac intensive care unit, to the value of £18,519.
British No. 1 Murray also made an individual contribution to buy an additional pendant of the same value for the hospital.
Other lots in the auction included a unique gold-leaf Methuselah of Moët & Chandon, signed by some of the world’s best tennis players, coupled with the chance to spend a weekend at the beautiful Moët & Chandon château in Epernay, France; a private practice session and meet and greet with World No. 1 Novak Djokovic at The O2 and tickets to the 2011 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals; A year of Luxury – a fantastic year’s worth of exclusive gifts, pampering and experiences; Tom Aikens cooking a dinner party for 10 at your home, with champagne provided by Moët & Chandon; and tea with supermodel Kate Moss.
Patients from Great Ormond Street Hospital will be special guests at the 2011 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals at The O2, and will get to meet their tennis heroes.
The Barclays ATP World Tour Finals is the world’s biggest indoor tennis event, where each of the top eight players and top eight doubles teams are drawn to play a minimum of three round-robin matches to determine which four players and teams advance to the knockout semi-finals.