Greek tennis player Maria Sakkari will participate in the Tennis Plays for Peace charity event at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne on Wednesday, January 11.
Sakkari is currently in Western Australia where she sealed Greece’s first Group A win at the United Cup in Perth after defeating Viktoriya Tomova 6-3, 6-2.
Accompanying Sakkari in the upcoming charity event will be tennis players Carlos Alcaraz, Rafael Nadal, Coco Gauff, Alex Zverev, Frances Tiafoe and Alex de Minaur.
Tennis Plays for Peace is a global initiative supported by all the Grand Slams, the Association of Tennis Professionals, Women’s Tennis Association and International Tennis Federation to bring together the tennis community and fans in support of relief efforts for the war in Ukraine.
The funds raised from the tennis charity event will support the on-ground relief work in Ukraine by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund Australia (UNICEF) and Global Giving, also contributing to the Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund.
Australian Open Tournament Director, Craig Tiley, said about the event: “Through Tennis Plays for Peace the tennis community can offer practical assistance through fundraising, as well as show our heartfelt support for the victims of the war.”
“We look forward to a spectacular night of tennis and entertainment and a wonderful opportunity to come together and raise much-needed funds,” Tiley added.
So far, Tennis Plays for Peace has raised $1,143,034 of the $89,292 goal for the Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund.
Tickets for Tennis Plays for Peace are $25 for adults and $5 for children and available here. For more information, visit the AO website here.
