For any tennis fan, the press release that just landed in our inbox is pretty much the Holy Grail. It announces a special benefit Andre Agassi will be hosting at the 2010 BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Calif., to raise money for his charity, the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education. For truly philanthropic couples who love tennis, this is the event of the century.
Why? The opening night of the tournament, which begins on March 12, will feature an exhibition match between Agassi, Pete Sampras, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer titled “Hits for Haiti.” Since professional tennis is one of the only sports I follow, I don’t have many great line-ups in other sports to compare that one to, but all of those players either currently hold — or have held in the past, before retiring — the number one seed in the world. It’s going to be epic, and it’s expected to raise $1 million for relief efforts in Haiti.
Andre Agassi’s benefit invites couples to spend March 16 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in a private suite with the tennis great. All proceeds will go to the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education, which strives to “transform education.” In order to meet the foundation’s goals, Agassi has established the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy, a K-12 public charter school in the tennis star’s hometown, Las Vegas. The public charter school was founded in 2001, and in 2009, its first senior class graduated with 100 percent of graduates going on to higher education opportunities.
Speaking about his role in the tournament as well as the benefit, Agassi said: “I have always enjoyed this tournament since my early days as a pro and I am thrilled to be there this year in a philanthropic role. I cannot thank the amazing supporters of the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education enough for their help in making this benefit possible. It means so much for our efforts to effect positive change in education. I am also incredibly grateful to the tournament organizers for inviting me to participate in ‘Hits for Haiti’ to kick off the tournament and support a country so in need.”
To benefit AAFE and support Agassi Prep, Agassi is inviting up to 15 couples to watch both the day and night sessions of the star-studded tournament on March 16 with him in a private suite. The competitive portion of this year’s tournament will feature current tennis phenoms including Maria Sharapova, US Open champion Kim Clijsters, and, of course, the number-one tennis player in the world right now: Roger Federer. The couples will also tour the Tennis Garden with Davis Cup member and tournament organizer Charlie Pasarell. That amazing experience comes at a premium of $10,000. But for tennis fans who have the means, it’s a dream come true — and a way to help benefit education transformation with tennis great Andre Agassi.
Photos courtesy of Francisco Aguilar and Jodi Patkin