Google News
The ATP Tour has raised more than US$225,000 after the ATP Coach & Player Fan Experience has come to an end. The money raised will help support ATP coaches who have been affected by the current global pandemic, as per a report by the ATP Tour website.
ATP Tour raises more than $225,000 for coaches
As part of the auction, fans were able to bid for unique experiences with players and coaches. Some of the top auctioned items included a fan who bid US$51,850 for a chance to play with Andy Murray at Wimbledon.
The fan will hit with Murray for one hour on court at next year's Wimbledon, and receive two tickets to the men's singles final and enjoy a private lunch in the members’ enclosure. Among the other experiences were one fan who bid US$27,000 for a session with former World No.
3 Stan Wawrinka and his coaches Magnus Norman and Dani Vallverdu, one fan who bid US$10,500 to hit with Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov and another who paid US$7,500 to be part of a session with Feliciano Lopez at the Mutua Madrid Open.
The initiative was started by coach Dani Vallverdu, who told the ATP Tour website, "It has been uplifting to see everybody pulling together to help out the coaches, who play such a big role in tennis. Everybody that I reached out to for help said yes.
This shows the impact coaches and players can make and I hope it’s a platform for many more collaborations in the future. When we all work together, we can really achieve some big things for the sport”. ATP Chairman Andrea Gaudenzi commented, "It’s heartening that during such an unprecedented global situation, the tennis community has come together and found creative ways to help each other.
Importantly, this innovative initiative has also succeeded in delivering something unique to our fans, and our thanks go to everyone who contributed”. The ATP Tour has been suspended since March due to the global pandemic and it scheduled to resume in August in the United States as of now. The US Open is scheduled to take place in New York at the end of August.