Current world No. 2 and six-time Grand Slam singles champion Novak Djokovic will join Hall of Famer John McEnroe, NY Ranger superstar goaltender Henrik Lundqvist, actor Edward Norton and other tennis stars, legends and celebrities, on Thursday, August 21, for a gala evening of tennis to benefit the Johnny Mac Tennis Project. The benefit night will take place at SPORTIME Stadium on Randall’s Island. In the main event of the evening, Djokovic will compete against another top ATP professional to be announced. The evening will also include pro-celebrity doubles action, featuring Djokovic, McEnroe and their guests, promising junior players from the John McEnroe Tennis Academy, a lively auction and great hospitality, with all net proceeds to support the efforts of Johnny Mac Tennis Project, a 501(c)(3) public charity.
JMTP provides scholarships, coaching, transportation and other financial assistance to qualified young tennis players in the greater New York area, as well as introducing the sport to hundreds of new junior players each year in the neighborhoods surrounding Academy locations. JMTP benefit nights in previous years have featured the likes of Bjorn Borg (2011), Andre Agassi (2012) and Jim Courier (2013). JMTP and Sportime Clubs, home of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy, have already provided over $1.5 million in scholarships and no cost programming to young players in NYC and its communities. Sportime Randall’s Island has been the flagship location of JMTA since 2010.
“This is an important night for a cause that has been close to my heart for a long time,” said McEnroe. “I have so much respect for Novak as a person and as a player, which makes me even more excited that he will be the first current top-ranked player to participate in a Johnny Mac Tennis Project benefit match. Fans can expect a night of fun and competition in a great atmosphere in New York, with the likes of Henrik Lundqvist and Edward Norton generously agreeing to be part of the festivities, and with more surprise guests to be announced between now and the event.”
Tickets start at $75. To purchase tickets, and for more information about special VIP packages, corporate packages, or to become a sponsor, please contact [email protected].
Djokovic has three titles to date in 2014, all in top-level Masters 1000 events in Rome, Miami and Indian Wells. He first reached the No. 1 ranking in April 2011 and has been the No. 1 or No. 2 ranked male player in the world ever since. His Grand Slam singles championships include the Australian Open (2008, 2011, 2012, 2013), Wimbledon (2011) and U.S. Open (2011). The Belgrade, Serbia, native is the top seed at Wimbledon this year and has opened his 2014 campaign with convincing wins over Andrey Golubev and Radek Stepanek.
Lundqvist is one of the National Hockey League’s great goalkeepers, winning the Vezina Trophy in 2011-12 and finishing second in 2012-13. He has 309 career regular-season victories in his nine-year career, plus 43 more in postseason play. This year he helped lead the Rangers to their first Stanley Cup finals appearance since 1993-94.
The prolific Norton is known for his roles in the films Fight Club, American History X, The Incredible Hulk, The Illusionist and many others. He is a two-time Academy Award nominee and a Golden Globes winner. He stars alongside Emma Stone in this fall’s Birdman.