Haas Beats Roddick at WTT Smash Hits
December 11, 2009
Baton Rouge, La. — Tommy Haas outgunned Andy Roddick in men’s singles 5-2 to lead Team Elton John to a 16-13 win over Team Billie Jean King in the WTT Smash Hits charity event on Tuesday night in Baton Rouge. The all-star charity event raised more than $640,000 for the Elton John AIDS Foundation and Baton Rouge area AIDS charities. More than $200,000 of the funds raised will stay in the Baton Rouge area.
In its 17-year history, WTT Smash Hits has raised more than $9.6 million for the Elton John AIDS Foundation and local charities throughout the U.S. With tonight’s win, Team Elton leads the overall series 9-8.
The event, presented by the Irene W. and C.B. Pennington Foundation, and hosted by the Baton Rouge Area Foundation (BRAF), will benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation and AIDS charities serving the Greater Baton Rouge area.
Captained by longtime friends Billie Jean King and Sir Elton John, the Smash Hits players formed two teams and faced off in a modified World TeamTennis match, playing one set each of men’s singles, women’s doubles, men’s doubles and mixed doubles.
Haas put on a show for the energetic crowd, winning all three of his sets. In men’s singles, Haas jumped to a 4-1 lead over Roddick before finally closing out the match with a 5-2 win. Haas teamed with Serena Williams, who served an ace on set point to edge Louisiana native Chanda Rubin and Roddick 5-4 in mixed doubles. Haas completed the trifecta, teaming with Jan-Michael Gambill for a 5-2 men’s doubles victory over Roddick and 2009 NCAA Singles Champion Devin Britton.
Women’s doubles featured an entertaining matchup of four Grand Slam doubles champions, including three former No. 1 doubles players. It was current top-ranked Liezel Huber and Lindsay Davenport who posted a 5-1 win over Kournikova and Williams.
Before the action on the court at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center, players took to the stage to raise more than $120,000. Andy Roddick served up a pair of tennis lessons for $12,000 each, while Florida residents Anna Kournikova and Serena William helped add $12,000 to the total by auctioning off a Super Bowl package to a room full of Saints fans. The top auction of the night was two Wimbledon packages featuring Billie Jean King’s personal Center Court tickets which went for $20,000 each.
FINAL RESULTS – WTT Smash Hits in Baton Rouge, La.:
Pro-celebrity set: Elton John/Serena Williams defeat Andy Roddick/Anna Kournikova 4-3 (does not count toward total match score)
TEAM ELTON JOHN defeats TEAM BILLIE JEAN KING 16-13
Mixed Doubles: Tommy Haas/Serena Williams (Team Elton) def. Andy Roddick/Chanda Rubin 5-4 (Team Billie Jean)
Women’s Doubles: Lindsay Davenport/Liezel Huber (Team Billie Jean) def. Anna Kournikova/Serena Williams (Team Elton) 5-1
Men’s Doubles: Tommy Haas / Jan-Michael Gambill (Team Elton) def. Andy Roddick/Devin Britton (Team Billie Jean) 5-2
Men’s Singles: Tommy Haas (Team Elton) def. Andy Roddick (Team Billie Jean) 5-2.