The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedias.net

WHILE he would have liked to put on the exhibition between some of the top tennis players in the world, retired tennis professional Mark Knowles was delighted to have been afforded the opportunity to provide some valuable instruction for the cadre of visitors.

Over the weekend, Knowles brought back the Baha Mar Cup, but while the marquee event featuring renowned tennis stars Andy Roddick, James Blake, Victoria Azárenka and Patrick McEnroe was called off on Saturday because of the rain, Knowles said hosting the clinic for the children was just as important.

“Everything went very well. Obviously, we had a terrific turnout for the kids, which is always the most important component,” Knowles. “We probably had 50-60 kids, which was so impressive. They got to play with Andy Roddick, James Blake, Victoria Azárenka and Patrick McEnroe.

“It was an invaluable experience for the kids. That went very well. Then we started the pro-am. We were almost finished with the programme as we interacted with the sponsors. Unfortunately, the rain came and we were bitten a little by the weather, so we couldn’t have the exhibition, which was a bit of a shame because we had such a stellar lineup. But we can’t control the weather. Overall it was a great event.”

In expressing his gratitude to Baha Mar resort to stage the event after a break because of the coronavirus pandemic, Knowles also thanked the local sponsors who all showed up and supported the event.

Among the list are Jeff and Jill Everette, Mark Holowesko, Bahamas Waste Management, HG Christie, Juan Bacardi from Bristol Cellars and a lot of close friends, who assisted in one way or the other.

“It means something, especially in such difficult times, for them to continue to lend their support and give their financial opportunities to the kids,” Knowles said.

After retiring from the sport as a grand slam champion in doubles in all four majors – Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open – either with his Canadian male partner or Anna- Lena Gronefeld of Germany, his concentration switched to the formation of his Mark Knowles Foundation.

The foundation is enabling Knowles to carry out his passion, which is to assist as many young Bahamians in the Bahamas to follow in his footsteps as one of the top players in the world, something he did from 1992 to 2016.

Knowles, 50, was a five-time Olympian who enjoyed the second longest tenure as a member of the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s prestigious Davis Cup team, having played for 14 years producing a 41-32 win-loss record, including 23-25 in singles and 18-7 in doubles. Only Marvin Rolle, now the player/captain, has participated longer, last year reaching his 17th season.

Today, Rolle is one of the local professional players who conduct the training site at the Paradise Island’s Tennis courts. Also included are Philip ‘PJ’ Major, Kevin Major Jr, Oneil Mortimer and Danielle Thompson.

“Obviously, I forget where I came from. I was once a kid with big dreams as well,” he said. “Fortunately, it takes a team to make it happen,” he said. “My parents and my family got it started. But there were a lot of people who helped on the journey along the way.

“So I’m happy with all of the support I got. I was fortunate to have a great career and a long career, but that’s just a part way through life. The most important thing is what kind of mark you will leave. Tennis has given me so much and I love my country the Bahamas so much so I will continue doing what I’ve been doing.”

When he saw the look on the young players’ faces today, Knowles said he was even more enthused, although that was off-set by the rain and the cancellation of the tennis exhibition by the visiting international stars, when they lauded the talent displayed by the Bahamian rising stars. “That makes me so proud because I am so proud of the Bahamas and our kids and the way they represent our country,” Knowles said. “So it’s always good to give them the opportunity and to empower them to believe that they could achieve anything that they put their mind to. So, I think events like this are very important. It’s close to my heart, so I truly enjoyed doing it.”

Although he resides in Dallas, Texas, Knowles is currently with the Tennis Channel in their studio in Los Angeles and he’s also on the board of the AP Tennis, which affords him the opportunity to travel around the world, keeping track of the men’s tennis.

“So I’m fortunate, I’m staying busy. I’m staying close to tennis. We have a great junior programme here in the Bahamas called Mark Knowles Tennis Bahamas. We have about 40-50 kids and I have a lot of great pros helping me out.

“We’ve set up a nice foundation to produce champions, not only on the court, but off the court also.”

This week, Knowles is heading to Italy for a board meeting for the ATP. “I won’t have any time to relax and enjoy my time at home, but I will be back in December to spend some time with “family and friends.”