This archive report was first published on 3 January 2020.
As Australia braces for a weekend heatwave, tennis and cricket stars are rallying behind bushfire relief efforts, with several players pledging thousands of dollars to help victims.
On January 15, Tennis Australia will host a "Rally for Relief" exhibition match at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne, featuring "the world's top players".
Tennis Australia has also donated Aus$1.0 million (US$690,000) to help communities repair and rebuild tennis facilities damaged or lost in the bushfires.
Professional tennis player Nick Kyrgios, known for his "bad boy reputation," has pledged Aus$200 for each ace he serves in the Australian summer of tennis, starting with the ATP Cup, which began on January 3.
"I'm kicking off the support for those affected by the fires. I'll be donating $200 per ace that I hit across all the events I play this summer," Kyrgios tweeted on January 3.
Other players, including Alex de Minaur and Samantha Stosur, have also pledged to donate for every ace they hit during the Australian summer of tennis.
The ATP Cup, a 10-day tournament being staged in Brisbane, Perth, and Sydney, has also announced that each ace served during the event will deliver Aus$100 to bushfire relief, with the initiative forecast to raise around Aus$150,000.
Cricket stars, including Chris Lynn and Glenn Maxwell, have also pledged to donate for every six they hit during the ongoing Big Bash League Twenty20 tournament, with Lynn tweeting that he will donate $250 for every six he hits.
"Hey Guys, for every six I hit in this year's Big Bash League I will donate $250 towards the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal," Lynn tweeted.
Maxwell has also pledged to donate $250 for every six he hits, matching Lynn's commitment.
These efforts come as Australia continues to grapple with the devastating bushfires, which have claimed 18 lives and forced mass evacuations.
