Roger Federer and other leading tennis players devoted the eve of the Australian Open to a fundraiser for Haiti earthquake victims in an exhibition match yesterday that offered a rare glimpse at the camaraderie behind their on-court rivalries.
The event dubbed “Hit for Haiti” raised more than AU$200,000 (US$185,000), an amount that organizers expected would increase.
Federer, who has won a record 15 Grand Slam titles, teamed up with reigning Australian Open champion Serena Williams and Australia’s Lleyton Hewitt and Samantha Stosur. Their opponents were last year’s winner Rafael Nadal, 2008 winner Novak Djokovic, Andy Roddick and US Open champion Kim Clijsters.
The players wore microphones on court, adding to the entertainment of a mixed-doubles match featuring player substitutions. Commentating as they lunged, lobbed and smashed, they displayed their athleticism and personalities.
There was the eloquent and debonair Federer who played the role of master of ceremonies. It was Federer’s idea to hold the match, which he helped organize a day earlier. There was the good-natured Clijsters cracking jokes, playful Nadal with his sideways grin and wisecracking Roddick.
To the delight of the crowd, Roddick mocked Williams’ infamous meltdown at the US Open when a line judge called her for a foot fault during a crucial point in her semi-final loss to Clijsters.
“Did you really call a foot fault on me in a charity match?” Roddick reprimanded a line judge. “You realize Serena’s over there, right?”
The camera panned to Williams sitting on the sidelines shaking her head and laughing, as the packed 15,000-seat stadium erupted in laughter. Williams has been touchy on that subject since her arrival in Australia — the profanity-laced, finger-pointing tirade cost her a record fine of US$82,500.
Federer tried three times to show off the shot from his US Open victory against Djokovic that he has described as the greatest of his life: a between-the-legs, back-to-the-net winner from the baseline. It worked once yesterday and sunk into the net twice.
Djokovic displayed his powerful serve, acing Williams on one point and prompting her to comment: “You look really good acing girls.”
At one game break, Clijsters massaged Nadal’s sore thigh. She did not interact with ex-fiance Hewitt — both of them are now married with kids.
In the end, Federer’s so-called Red Team beat the rival Blue Team 7-6 in their one-set match that lasted an hour and a half. The teams were named for the colors of Haiti’s flag.
Some players made separate contributions, organizers said, including 2008 Australian Open winner Maria Sharapova (US$10,000), American John Isner (US$5,000) — after he won the Auckland tournament — and Marcos Baghadits (US$5,000) — after he won in Sydney.
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