The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

LEGENDARY retired tennis player Mark Knowles has announced plans for the first of the Baha Mar Cup at Baha Mar that will feature some of the top-notch players including American rising young star Coco Gauff and veteran Andy Roddick.

Gauff and Roddick are expected to be joined by Knowles, Tommy Haas and James Blake in the first-ever Baha Mar Cup, a one-of-a-kind tennis fundraising event taking place at Baha Mar from Thursday, November 7 to Sunday, November 10 to benefit victims of Hurricane Dorian across the Abacos and Grand Bahama islands.

The Baha Mar Cup will feature a Pro-Am tournament pitting professional tennis legends against devoted fans, exhibition matches with appearances from surprise celebrities, Baha Mar’s first official UTR (Universal Tennis Rating) tournament, the Baha Mar Futures Cup, and other events held throughout Baha Mar Racquet Club’s nine tennis courts, including hard, hard-tru clay and grass surface.

A number of activities have been organised by Knowles and will include the following:

• Complimentary Youth Tennis Clinic for players between the ages of 7-16 years old.

It will take place on Saturday, November 9 from 9-11:30 am at Baha Mar.

Interested persons can sign up at Baha Mar Racquets Club or by contacting vicky@batelnet.bs.

• Bahamas Futures Cup for boys and girls under the age of 18 years old.

The players will be divided into groups within their UTR rating group. Players with no UTR rating can compete and will receive their first UTR rating.

Play will commence on Thursday, November 7 and wrap up on November 10. Organizers will work around children’s school schedules. Interested persons must register by 11 am on November 4 at www.myutr.com/events/9649 at a cost of $65, which includes reserved bleacher seating for the Pro-Am and many give-aways.

• Pro-Am and Exhibition is scheduled for Saturday, November 9 at 1 pm and will feature Coco Gauff, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, Andy Roddick, Tommy Haas, James Blake, Bob Bryan and Mark Knowles.

Spectators will be charged $200 for adults with all proceeds going to the Hurricane Dorian Relief Fund. All kids will be entered free of charge.

There are a number of packages being offered for the corporate sponsors to participate in. They are as follows:

• Baha Mar Cup - Sapphire package - 2-day event.

Friday, November 8 · Welcome dinner and live auction for the opportunity to play with pros on Saturday, November 9; play with pros Viewing Celebrity Exhibition Play Viewing and farewell Dinner and Live Entertainment.

The cost is $995.

• Baha Mar Platinum package - two-day event.

Friday, November 8 · Intimate Meet and Greet; preferred Seating at Welcome Dinner and Live Auction for opportunity to play with pros on Saturday, November 9; preferred seating at the play with the pros and Celebrity Exhibition Play; preferred Seating at Farewell Dinner and Live Entertainment Other Amenities; two rounds of golf at Jack Nicklaus Signature Design Course, Royal Blue; one $50 min Spa Treatment and roundtrip Airport Transportation.

Cost $1,900.

• Play with the Pros package - the ultimate experience of playing alongside the pros and participate in all the Platinum Package events.

Cost $8,500.

All proceeds raised from the events will be donated directly to those affected by Hurricane Dorian.

Knowles, 48, is the Bahamas’ most successful touring pro. During his illustrious career that spanned from ,1982 to 2016, Knowles collected all four Grand Slam titles, partnering with Canadian Daniel Nestor in the mixed doubles at the 2002 Australian Open, 2004 US Open, and 2007 French Open, while capturing the 2009 Wimbledon mixed doubles with Anna-Lerna Gronefeld of Germany.

Having earned the number one ranking in the world in 2002, Knowles posted a career win-loss record of 744-380 in doubles and won a total of 55 titles. Although he’s never won a singles title, Knowles compiled a 42-77 record and was ranked as high as No.96 in 1996.

Now married to Dawn Davidson and the proud father of three children, Knowles has worked on-air for Tennis Chanel since 2013 and he ventured in coaching where he’s worked with Milos Raonic since 2017 and American player Jack Sock.