Australia’s tennis chief yesterday announced a series of fundraisers for victims of raging bushfires after an appeal from bad boy Nick Kyrgios.
Kyrgios, often a controversial figure in the sport, called for an exhibition tournament before the Australian Open, after blazes that have claimed 18 lives and forced mass evacuations.
“C’mon @TennisAustralia surely we can do a pre @AustralianOpen exho to raise funds for those affected by the fires?” the 24-year-old, who has handed a 16-week suspended ban in September last year after a series of outbursts, said on Twitter.
Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley responded by saying that fundraisers would be held during tournaments, including the Australian Open and the ATP Cup team event, telling fans to “stay tuned” for details.
“For weeks we’ve been watching the devastation caused by bushfires across Australia and the people affected are constantly in our thoughts,” Tiley said.
“We want to help these communities in a meaningful way and will announce a number of fundraising and support initiatives that will be rolled out across the ATP Cup, Australian Open and our other events over the coming weeks,” he added.
Kyrgios, in Brisbane for the inaugural ATP Cup, said that the tennis world now had the chance to do “something special.”
“Tennis Australia, obviously, has been pretty proactive about it,” Kyrgios said. “I’m sure something will happen. I’m sure all of us will be involved in some way.”
The bushfires are the major talking point ahead of the 24-team ATP Cup, which is being held in Brisbane, Perth and Sydney.
World No. 2 Novak Djokovic, who is based in Brisbane with Serbia, visited a koala sanctuary and said that it brought home to him the devastation wrought by the fires.
“It’s very sad to know how many people & animals have lost their homes to the bushfires. My heart and support goes out to all those affected,” Djokovic said on Twitter.
ATP Cup officials would rely on on-site medical experts to monitor the air quality in Sydney, where cricket and golf events have been affected by haze from the fires in the past several weeks.
However, players based in Sydney for the tournament said that they were not worried about smoky conditions.
Bulgaria captain Grigor Dimitrov said that “obviously we’re concerned about that [the bushfires], but we’re all ready to play” — a sentiment echoed by world No. 11 David Goffin.
“I think we are in a safe area for smoke and the air is okay for us,” the Belgian said. “We didn’t feel it that much for the moment, the quality of the air. I think it should be okay for the matches.”
Tim Henman, who is captaining a British team missing Andy Murray due to injury, said that playing in potentially poor air was nothing compared with the problems faced by fire victims.
“I think in the context of what this country is going through with the bushfires and for us having to deal with perhaps slightly poor air quality, I think there is the perspective,” he said. “I don’t envisage it being a problem at all.”
ATP Cup tournament director Tom Larner told reporters this week that air conditions would be closely monitored and play suspended if necessary.
Australia is no stranger to bushfires, but this season’s blazes have been severe, with more than 1,300 homes destroyed and more than 5.5 million hectares scorched.
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