Tennis star Kyrgios rallies to raise disaster funds
– Australian sports stars, sparked in part by a call to action from tennis player Nick Kyrgios, have rallied to raise funds in support of relief and recovery efforts for victims of the country’s bushfire catastrophe.
Hundreds of wildfires have scorched more than 5.25 million hectares of bushland and destroyed more than 1 000 homes over the past few months.
Kyrgios called on Thursday for the organisation of a fund-raising exhibition event ahead of the Australia Open, the year’s first Grand Slam which begins in Melbourne on January 20.
Australian cricketers Glenn Maxwell and Chris Lynn pledged A$250 (about R2 500) for every six they hit during the Big Bash League Twenty20 tournament.
There have also been pledges of help from A-League football clubs in Victoria and US basketballer LaMelo Ball – a top-five NBA draft prospect – who has offered to donate one month’s salary from the
Illawarra Hawks.
Tennis Australia said yesterday it would hold a “Rally for Relief” exhibition match at the Rod Laver Arena on January 15 to help raise funds, while proceeds from a Jessica Mauboy concert on the eve of the Open will also be donated to the Red Cross appeal.
Kyrgios said he would be at the exhibition and while no other names have been confirmed, most of the best tennis players in the world are already in Australia for the inaugural edition of the ATP Cup and other warm-up tournaments.
Kyrgios has also put his hand up individually by promising a A$200 donation for every ace he serves and has been joined by a number of fellow players in the drive, including former US Open champion Samantha Stosur.
Hazardous smoke from the fires forced the abandonment of a Big Bash match in the capital on December 21 and organisers, anticipating similar disruption, decided to move the Canberra International tennis tournament.
The ATP Challenger/ITF Futures tournament, scheduled for Canberra next week, has been moved to the city of Bendigo.
Sporting events went ahead under sunny skies in Sydney yesterday, with no sign of the thick layer of smoke that has shrouded the city on several occasions over the past few months.
The third cricket Test between Australia and New Zealand at the Sydney Cricket Ground got underway in front of a big crowd under sunny skies after a minute of applause for the emergency services fighting the fires.
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