Taking place December 9 – 11, the three-day celebrity tennis event will feature clinics and exhibitions by a dynamic roster of tennis legends to raise funds benefitting the Baha Mar Foundation and the Mark Knowles Children’s Tennis Initiative
NASSAU, The Bahamas, Sept. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Baha Mar, the leading resort destination in The Bahamas, announced today its third-annual Baha Mar Cup, the Caribbean’s most prestigious celebrity tennis fundraising event taking place Friday, December 9 – Sunday, December 11. The most impressive roster of Tennis pros to date, including Andy Roddick, Milos Raonic, Victoria Azarenka, Jessica Pegula, Lindsay Davenport, James Blake and Mark Knowles, will all take the court at the Baha Mar Racquet Club for an all-star tennis tournament to benefit the Baha Mar Resort Foundation supporting Mark Knowles Children’s Tennis Initiative.
The 2022 Baha Mar Cup will kick off with a special welcome reception presented by Rosewood Baha Mar on Friday, December 9. Tennis events start with an exclusive Pro-Am Kick-Off Clinic and Tournament, pairing eight pros with up to 24 amateur players, including culinary talent Marcus Samuelsson. Immediately following, tennis’ top talent will take the court for the highly competitive Baha Mar Cup Pro Exhibition, hosted by Tennis Hall of Fame member and ESPN commentator Cliff Drysdale. Guests, players, and spectators are then invited to a special dinner with an awards ceremony, prepared by six-time James Beard award-winning celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson at his ocean-side restaurant, Marcus Up Top and featuring live music and entertainment.
The weekend’s events will conclude on Sunday, December 11, when young tennis fans from the local community are invited to participate in the Youth Clinic, learning tips from the pros themselves.
“The Baha Mar Cup welcomes the tours elite players and supporters for an exciting weekend of clinics, exhibition games, and celebrations, all in commemoration of two great causes aimed to raise awareness and funds to support the Bahamian youth tennis community, enhance public tennis facilities, and provide opportunity for at risk children,” said Graeme Davis, President, Baha Mar. “Following the success of previous Baha Mar Cups in 2019 and 2021, we know this year will be the biggest and best yet, filled with an array of tennis and entertainment activities set against a beautiful tropical landscape at Baha Mar.”
“It is a tremendous honor to return to Baha Mar for the third time to host this tournament, aimed at raising awareness for the Mark Knowles Children’s Tennis Initiative and the Baha Mar Foundation, two charities who share similar missions in supporting the local youth community,” said Mark Knowles. “I look forward to building on the success of last year’s event and joining in the fun alongside the stellar lineup of tennis legends playing this year.”
To date, Baha Mar Cup has raised more than $160,000, supporting the Bahamian community through the Baha Mar Foundation, including those affected by Hurricane Dorian in 2019, and the support of the Mark Knowles Children’s Tennis Initiative in 2021. Built on the three pillars of Community, Culture and Conservation, the Baha Mar Resort Foundation reflects the brand’s deep commitment to building a strong future for The Bahamas.
Baha Mar Cup will take place at The Baha Mar Racquet Club featuring nine state-of-the-art tennis courts, with six professional hard courts, two Har-Tru clay courts, and the only grass court in the Caribbean. The tennis program is directed by Cliff Drysdale Tennis, a worldwide leader in services and instruction for tennis enthusiasts of all ages.
The schedule of the weekend’s events is as follows:
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Friday, December 9 |
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7:30PM |
Welcome reception presented by Rosewood Baha Mar |
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Saturday, December 10 |
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9:15AM – 10:00AM |
Pro-Am Kick-Off Clinic |
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10:00AM – 12:30PM |
Pro-Am Tournament |
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12:30PM – 2:00PM |
Lunch on the Lawn catered by Costa |
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2:30PM – 4:30PM |
Baha Mar Cup Pro Exhibition hosted by Cliff Drysdale featuring Women’s Singles, Men’s Singles and Mixed Doubles |
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7:00PM |
Baha Mar Cup Awards Dinner at Marcus Up Top hosted by Celebrity Chef Marcus Samuelsson |
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Sunday, December 11 |
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8:00AM – 10:00AM |
Kids Community Clinic |
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9:30AM – 11:00AM |
Amateur Player Clinic hosted by Cliff Drysdale |
For more information on tickets and participating in The Baha Mar Cup tennis tournament, please visit www.bahamar.com.
About Baha Mar
Baha Mar is a master planned integrated resort development situated on 1,000 acres overlooking the world’s famous Cable Beach. The white sand beach destination includes three global brand operators – Grand Hyatt, SLS, and Rosewood – over 2,300 rooms and more than 45 restaurants and lounges, the largest casino in the Caribbean, a state-of-the-art convention center, Royal Blue Golf Course, an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus signature course, a brand new $200 million Baha Bay luxury water park, the Caribbean’s first and only flagship ESPA spa, and over 30 luxury retail outlets. Baha Mar is a breathtaking location with dynamic programming, activities, and guest offerings in one of the most beautiful places in the world – The Bahamas. For more information and reservations, visit www.bahamar.com.
About Mark Knowles
Mark Knowles is a former World #1 in doubles. He has won all four majors in doubles. Winning the men’s doubles titles at the Australian Open, French Open, U.S. Open and the mixed doubles title at Wimbledon. He has contested 13 Grand Slam finals overall. He was ranked World #1 between 2002 and 2004. He is a 5-time Olympian and has coached top ten players Mardy Fish, Milos Raonic & Jack Sock. Since 2013, Knowles has worked on-air for Tennis Channel, providing in-match commentary, courtside interviews and tournament analysis.
SOURCE Baha Mar
