There will be a massive treat for the ladies at the 2011 World Tennis Chalenge.
“Sexiest Man Alive” Finalist James Blake & The Eternally Fabulous Pat Rafter Headed To Adelaide For World Tennis Challenge.
Look out ladies the 2012 World Tennis Challenge just got a whole lot sexier with the announcement that James Blake and Pat Rafter are just two of the 9 players headed this way in January.
Blake an IMG Model, former People Magazine “Sexiest Man Alive” finalist, top selling author and former Top 5 ranked player is sure to be much sought after during his visit to our fair city.
He can also sure hit a ball – he holds the record for a forehand shot clocked at a mere 201km/hr at this year’s US open!
Add former #1 player, all round nice guy, and one of Australia’s favourite sportsmen Pat Rafter and the World Tennis Challenge will be THE hottest place in town between 10-12 January, 2012.
The full line up of players includes:
Australasia
Pat Rafter
Alexandr Dolgopolov*
Europe
Henri Leconte
Michael Llodra
International
Brad Gilbert
Stanislas Wawrinka
The Americas
John McEnroe
James Blake
Wildcard
Mansour Bahrami
*Coached by Adelaide’s Jack Reader
James Blake
Began playing tennis at age five…At age 13, was diagnosed with severe scoliosis (curvature of spine), which forced him to wear a back brace 18 hours a day… Attended Fairfield (Conn.) High School along with Grammy Award winner John Mayer and PGA Tour pro J.J. Henry…The school renamed its tennis courts in Blake's honor in 2006.
Signed with IMG Models in 2002…Had 10-page pictorial in GQ in 2003…Named 2005 ATP Comeback Player of Year…Nominated for ESPN’s 2005 “ESPY” Award for Comeback Player of the Year…In People Magazine’s 2006-2007 “Sexiest Man Alive” issue…Voted to ATP Player Council in June 2006 and serves as Vice President…In July 2007, released book co-authored by Andrew Friedman "Breaking Back: How I Lost Everything and Won Back My Life" and reached 15th on New York Times Best Seller list…
In support of the book, appeared on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and "The Late Show with David Letterman" as well as several morning shows.
Holds an annual charity event, AnthemLIVE!, which since 2003 has raised more than $2.5 million for cancer research and past participants have included John Mayer and Boyd Tinsley of Dave Matthews Band…
Pat Rafter
Rafter was born in Moutn Isa, Queensland, and is third-youngest in a family of nine children. He began playing tennis at the age of five with his father and three older brothers.
The 2002 Australian of the year married his girlfriend Lara Feltham (with whom he had a son, Joshua) at a resort in Fiji. Their daughter, India, was born in May 2005.
The all time nice guy Rafter donated half of the prize money from his 1997 and 1998 US Open wins to the Starlight Children's Foundation; he attempted to do so anonymously in 1997 but was unsuccessful.
He has since created his own charity organisation that raises funds for children's causes each year. As an alternative to tennis, he has occasionally played reserve grade Australian rules in the Sydney AFL for the North Shore Bombers.
Since his retirement, Rafter has gone on to become an underwear model for Bonds, and in October 2010 was announced as the next Davis Cup captain for Australia.
World Tennis Challenge tickets available from $28.50 from ticketek.com.au
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