With the takeover of the Melbourne Kooyong exhibition by IMG, a charity element to the four-day event has been expanded, with families dealing with cancer the intended beneficiaries. The AAMI Classic, set for the days prior to the January 13 start of the Australian Open, will debut Fan Day on Tuesday, January 7, the day before competition begins.
The free event will be hosted by former player and Davis Cup coach John Fitzgerald and will benefit Challenge a not-for-profit charity supporting children and families living with cancer. Donations are made in the form of gold coins (A$ 1 or A$2). Participating will be local identity Rob Mills, star of Grease The Musical, known to be a big tennis fan. “I’m very excited to be involved in the AAMI Classic Fan Day, it’s going to be a great day out for a very worthy cause,” said the entertainer.
The free Fan Day free event requires a ticket, which fans may register for online at the tournament website. Last years, the gold-coin effort raised A$ 8,500, with the charity bringing children and their families out for a day at the tennis last January.
“Last year we brought more than 100 children and their families down to Kooyong and it was a fantastic day – overwhelming,” said Challenge CEO David Rogers. “Not only did the kids get to spend time with all the players, but they also met (cricketeer) Shane Warne, and Katut from the AAMI TV ads who was a huge hit.
“For the kids to be standing one end of the court and to have Lleyton Hewitt and Tomas Berdych down the other end hitting balls to them is the experience of a lifetime and something they will never forget.”
This year’s Kooyong edition features Hewitt, Berdych, Stanislas Wawrinka, Richard Gasquet, Janko Tipsarevic, Fernando Verdasco, Grigor Dimitrov and Kei Nishikori. Promotion/elimination play at the four-day event starts on Wednesday, January 8.
Topics: 10sballs.com, AAMI, Australian Open, David Rogers, Davis Cup, Fan day, Fernando Verdasco, GRIGOR DIMITROV, IMG, Janko Tipsarevic, John Fitzgerald, Kei Nishikori, Lleyton Hewitt, Melbourne Kooyong Exhibition, Richard Gasquet, Rob Mills, Stanislas Wawrinka, Tennis, Tennis News, Tomas Berdych
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