B J King’s Smash Hits Planned for Pittsburgh

Written by: Staff on 21st September 2012

B J King’s Smash Hits Planned for Pittsburgh

epa03384977 Andy Roddick of the US hits a return to Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina during their fourth round match on the tenth day of the 2012 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 05 September 2012. The US Open runs through Sunday 09 September 2012. EPA/JOHN G. MABANGLO |

This year’s event on October 16 at the Petersen Events Center marks the 20th anniversary for Smash Hits, which has raised more than $10.5 million for the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) and various local AIDS charities since 1993. WTT Smash Hits will benefit EJAF and the Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force, and will also include a pre-match VIP Reception and Auction hosted by Allegheny Sports Medicine.

Featured players include Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick and Steffi Graf. Top 30 player Christina McHale, No. 1 ranked junior Taylor Townsend and 2012 US Open junior girls singles champion Samantha Crawford will join the field.

McHale, 20, is the third highest ranked American on the WTA Tour at No. 29. McHale turned pro in 2010 and won her first ITF singles title in 2011. She also represented the U.S. at the 2012 Olympic Games. McHale broke into the top 100 in 2011, posting an impressive win over Caroline Wozniacki, who was the world’s No. 1 at the time.

The 16-year-old Townsend is the world’s top-ranked junior player. She has won four Grand Slam titles this year, starting with the junior singles and doubles titles at the 2012 Australian Open, and she added the junior doubles titles at Wimbledon and the US Open.

Crawford, 17, won the 2012 US Open Junior Girls’ Championship as an unseeded wild card entry earlier this month. She reached the singles and doubles finals at an ITF event in Yakima, Wash., in July where she won her first ITF doubles title.

Captained by King and John, the players will form two teams and play five sets of World TeamTennis (WTT) – one set each of men’s and women’s singles, doubles, and mixed doubles. The music legend is expected to participate in a celebrity doubles match to open the event.

Official event sponsors include Mylan, GEICO, Highmark, Allegheny Sports Medicine, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Mercedes-Benz of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh, Horizon Properties, Wells Fargo, Buck Consultants. Dick’s Sporting Goods, Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation, The Norton Agency, GA Communication Group, Generic Pharmaceutical Association, Heeter Direct, Mansions on Fifth, 94.5 3WS, KDKA, and Pittsburgh Magazine.

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Topics: American tenni snews, Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, Christina Mchale, Samantha Crawford, Sports, Steffi Graf, Taylor Townsend, Tennis, Tennis News