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Andy, Serena, Anna, Elton and Billie Jean
headline a smash hit for charity in Baton Rouge
The biggest names in tennis took a night out to raise $640,000 for charity at the 2009 WTT Smash Hits in Baton Rouge, La. Serena Williams, Andy Roddick, Anna Kournikova and Lindsay Davenport headed up an all-star field to help raise $640,000 for the Elton John AIDS Foundation and Baton Rouge area AIDS charities. More than $200,000 of the funds raised will stay in the Baton Rouge area.
If you couldn't make it to Baton Rouge earlier this month for the 17th annual WTT Smash Hits event, no worries. You can still watch Elton John's forehand, or the potential 2012 Olympic mixed doubles powerhouse team of Serena Williams and Andy Roddick play against each other? It's not too late to catch all the action online or on the air.
Watch WTT Smash Hits online at www.WTT.com/LiveStream through early January or tune into Tennis Channel when Smash Hits airs on 1/5/2010 at 9:00 p.m. (Eastern).
It was a night of great tennis for a great cause. Tommy Haas outgunned Andy Roddick in men's singles 5-2 to lead Team Elton John to a 16-13 win over Team Billie Jean King.
In its 17-year history, WTT Smash Hits has raised more than $9.6 million for the Elton John AIDS Foundation and local cha rities throughout the U.S. With the win, Team Elton leads the overall series 9-8.
The event, presented by the Irene W. and C.B. Pennington Foundation, and hosted by the Baton Rouge Area Foundation (BRAF), will benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation and AIDS charities serving the Greater Baton Rouge area.
Captained by longtime friends Billie Jean King and Sir Elton John, the Smash Hits players formed two teams and faced off in a modified World TeamTennis match, playing one set each of men's singles, women's doubles, men's doubles and mixed doubles. Players included Roddick, Haas, Serena Williams, Anna Kournikova, Lindsay Davenport, Jan-Michael Gambill, Chanda Rubin, Liezel Huber and Devin Britton.
Read all about WTT Smash Hits HERE. Click HERE to donate to the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
photos: Fred & Susan Mullane/Camerawork USA |
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Limited edition Smash Hits apparel from Turfer
available through January 31
Want to look good - all for a great cause? Then visit the Turfer Smash HIts store to get commemorative merchandise from WTT Smash Hits. A portion of the proceeds from sales of WTT Smash Hits merchandise will benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Visit the Turfer Smash Hits store before Jan. 31 to pick up an official Smash Hits T-shirt, sweatshirt, pullover or hat.
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Autographed copies of
"Pressure is a Privilege" now available
Billie Jean King was the inspiration for an entire
generation with her memorable Battle of the Sexes win over Bobby Riggs . . .
and she remains a "shero" today to both genders as a champion for social justice and equality.
Get a copy of Billie Jean King's empowering book-"Pressure is a
Privilege: Lessons I've Learned from Life and the Battle of the
Sexes"... a great gift any time of the year.
A limited number of autographed books are available for $25 (plus shipping) - click HERE to order. Unsigned books are $15 plus shipping.
For large orders (over 25 books), please contact Nellie Chu at nchu@wtt.com for more information.  |
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HOT SHOTS 
Andy Roddick introduces his bulldog Billie to Billie Jean King at WTT Smash Hits in Baton Rouge. Roddick named his "feisty" dog in honor of the WTT co-founder.
photo:
Fred & Susan Mullane/Camerawork USA
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WTT's 35th season kicks off on July 5
The start of the 35th season of the World TeamTennis Pro
League has been moved to Monday, July 5. The regular season will run July
5-22, with the WTT Conference Championships set for July 23 and the WTT Finals
on July 25.
The WTT Conference Championships will be played at the home
venue of the top seeds from the Eastern and Western Conferences. The location of the WTT Finals will be
announced in early 2010.
The later start date allows WTT players to complete their
play at Wimbledon without conflicting with the start of the WTT Pro League season.
In 2009, more than 25 percent of WTT players were still in action at Wimbledon during
the final days of singles, doubles and juniors competition. The Grand Slam successes continued at the
2009 US Open as WTT players earned 4 of the 5 major championship titles.
Over the course of three weeks, WTT players in 10 markets
will play 73 matches during 21 nights of tennis. More than 60 players are
expected to compete during the League's 35th season. Teams start building
their lineups with the WTT Marquee Draft in early February. Lineups are
completed at the WTT Roster Player Draft, which will be held in Indian Wells,
Calif., on March 16.
World
TeamTennis also released a special logo today to commemorate the League's 35th
season in 2010. The logo will be broadly
integrated into the League's marketing efforts, including advertising, online,
merchandise and onsite in the 10 team markets.
 The 35th
season celebration began earlier this fall with the weekly announcement on WTT.com of 35 players who have made the biggest impact on World
TeamTennis. The League will also
highlight the 35 greatest moments in WTT history. Fans will select the ranking order of the top
10 impact players and greatest moments next spring. Additional celebrations, including several to
be held in team markets, are being planned for the upcoming months.
For more on the 2010 WTT season, visit www.WTT.com.
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 What's next from Wilson?
Keep on top of your game with the latest news and offerings from Wilson in 2010. Stay connected through Wilson's social media outlets, including Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and much more . . . watch the latest Wilson YouTube video from Roger Federer below.
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DELAINE MAST AWARD WINNERS
Christy Funk of Reno, Nev., and Martin Brody of Tulsa, Okla., are the 2009 recipients of the Delaine Mast Award. This annual award celebrates the accomplishments of two World TeamTennis Rec League directors, one male and one female, who contribute to the growth of tennis and WTT, and serve as leaders and role models in their local tennis communities.
The award is named after Delaine Mast, National Director for WTT Rec League programs. Mast is also a USTA Volunteer, USPTA and PTR Professional and inner city high school coach for more than 25 years, as well as founder of the non-profit Junior Tennis Corporation of America. Mast's passion and love for the game has brought tennis to thousands of players in communities across the U.S.
Funk and Brody received their awards from Mast and WTT co-founder Billie Jean King at the Advanta WTT Rec League National Finals on October 30 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, Calif.
Funk, who is the 2009 Reno Tahoe Tennis Hall of Fame inductee, has been an active leader in the tennis community for the past sixteen years. She has acted as Board Member Treasurer at the Biggest Little Tennis Association and has coordinated its children's program, Washoe Kidz Tennis. Funk was also the driving force behind the 2004 re-emergence of the Reno/Tahoe Tennis Hall of Fame Gala, whose proceeds benefit local junior tennis programs. Funk has served as the Eastern Sierra Community Tennis Coordinator for the USTA, and is currently the volunteer coordinator for Northern Nevada World TeamTennis.
Funk, who is a Certified Tennis Professional, also owns tennis specialty store Funky Tennis and is the Director of Tennis activities at the Caughlin Club in Reno, Nev.
Brody has been a prominent figure in the Tulsa tennis scene for more than
thirty-five years, and has been the city's World TeamTennis director for the past twelve years. Under his leadership, the Tulsa league has grown each year since Brody founded the league in 1998; it currently boasts a membership of over 400 players.
After becoming active in tennis in the 1960s as a member of the Boeing Company's Employees Tennis Club, Brody founded and directed the American Airlines Tennis Club in Long Island, N.Y. and later served as president of the club's Tulsa chapter. For the past six years, Brody has been on the Board of Directors for Tennis Competitors of Tulsa (TCT).
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TOP WTT REC LEAGUE
DIRECTORS
They are the best at what they do . . . growing the game through World TeamTennis leagues.
WTT has named the top 20 League Directors for 2009.
Shawn Alford
Portland, Ore.
David Bell
Raleigh, N.C.
Kevin Brady
Los Angeles, Calif.
Martin Brody
Tulsa, Okla.
Katherine Crowe
Cary, N.C.
Bob Cusolito
Woburn, Mass.
Richard Gottfried
Rockville, Md.
Scott Hanover
Kansas City, Mo.
Mike Hasan
San Diego, Calif.
Carol Jory
San Diego, Calif.
Alison Moran / Taya Dianna
Wilmington, Del.
Pat Purcell
St. Louis, Mo.
Vivian Purcell / Jimmy Vazquez
San Juan, P.R.
Steve Riggs
Irvine, Calif.
Kathy Risacher
Indianapolis, Ind.
Jason Swanson
Las Vegas, Nev.
Arlo Taylor
Long Beach, Calif.
Tri County Tennis Association
Schenectady, N.Y.
Elaine Wingfield
Key Biscayne, Fla.
XTreme TeamTennis
Atlanta, Ga.listed in alphabetical order |
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WTT REC CHAMPIONS
WTT NATIONALSNational Champions
Indian Wells, Calif.
3.0 DIVISION
Ball Busters
San Diego, Calif.
3.5 DIVISION
Muffin Tops
Lees Summit, Mo.
4.0 DIVISION
Bring It
Saratoga Springs/
Schenectady, N.Y.
4.5 DIVISION
Peninsula Tennis Club
San Diego, Calif.
SENIOR 3.5 DIVISION
West Texas Sandstorm
Lubbock, Texas
SENIOR 4.0 DIVISION
The Mason Dixons
Potomac, Md.
SUPER SENIOR 3.5 DIVISION
Love Player's 3.5
Miami, Fla.
SUPER SENIOR 4.0 DIVISION
Just Do It
Encino, Calif.
CORPORATE 3.5 DIVISION
US Gas & Electric
Miami, Fla.
CORPORATE 4.0 DIVISION
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
Miami, Fla.
CORPORATE 4.5 DIVISION
Medtronic Shokr's
Minneapolis, Minn.
more from the Finals HERE
Companies that
play together . . .
Start a Corporate League with your co-workers. Read more HERE or call 866-PLAY-WTT.
2010 WTT REC LEAGUE SCHEDULE
National Qualifiers:
3/5/2010
IMG Academy
Bradenton, Fla.
register by 2/19/2010
4/16/2010
Darling Tennis Center
Las Vegas, Nev.
register by 4/2/2010
7/23/2010
Plaza Tennis Center
Kansas City, Mo.
register by 7/9/2010
August TBD
Millbrook Exchange
Tennis Center
Raleigh, N.C.
registration TBD
August TBD
Cooperfield Racquet
& Health Club
Houston, Texas
registration TBD
9/24/2010
Heritage Park
Irvine, Calif.
register by 9/10/2010
10/1/2010
Hempfield Sports Complex
Lancaster, Pa.
register by 9/17/2010
more on National Qualifiers |
2010 WTT PRO LEAGUE
CALENDAR
by mid-February:
WTT Marquee Player Draft
late February:
2010 schedule released
MARCH 16
Roster Player Draft
Indian Wells, Calif.
JULY 5-22
Pro League Regular Season
JULY 23
WTT Conference Championships
Location TBD
JULY 25
WTT Pro League Finals
Location TBD
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Pro Tour Results
ATP Tour results |
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