ASHEVILLE, N.C. — The worldwide tennis community is poised to exceed its fundraising goal of more than $1 million for Ukraine relief through the Tennis Plays for Peace initiative. More than $225,000 alone was generated in conjunction with this weekend's Billie Jean King Cup Qualifier between the U.S. and Ukraine.
"The tennis community, it's just incredible. As I've always said, we're a family. We really are one big family, a close-knit family. When things get tough, and we know the last few years have been really tough with the pandemic and now with Ukraine, we really unite, we come together, do what's right, do what's best. We really look after each other," U.S. captain Kathy Rinaldi said following the tie.
"As I told the Ukrainian players when they arrived at our dinner, these players, whenever I reached out to them, it's the first thing they asked: 'What can we do?' It was first and foremost on our minds to make them feel supported.
"The money that they've raised has been incredible. As I told the Ukrainian players, No one should have to worry alone. That was our motto when we were going through the pandemic with our players: Nobody should have to worry alone, we're in this together."
Tennis Plays for Peace, launched last month by the sport's seven governing bodies—ATP, WTA, ITF and the four Grand Slams of the Australian Open, Roland-Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open—supports the humanitarian relief efforts for the war in Ukraine with money going to Global Giving’s Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund.
The following Billie Jean King Cup sponsors, as well as the partners and friends of American tennis, who used this weekend as a platform to donate include:
