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Moya gives winnings to victims
09/01/2005 19:27 - (SA)
Madras - Spaniard Carlos Moya retained his Chennai Open tennis title on Sunday and then donated the $52 000 prize money to relief efforts for the victims of the Asian tsunami.
"I'm donating the entire prize money from this tournament for tsunami victims, hoping it makes some difference to their lives," Moya said on receiving the champion's trophy.
Moya defeated Thailand's Paradorn Srichaphan 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5) in the final, becoming the first player to repeat a title-winning performance in this tournament since its launch in 1996.
The Spanish star's contribution follows pledges by four other players to donate their entire prize money from the tournament in Madras, which kept its date with the ATP Tour even though the December 26 tsunami killed several hundred people on its coastline.
Madras, also known as Chennai, is the capital of Tamil Nadu state, which accounted for a majority of India's 15 000 dead and missing.
Before the tournament's start, Germany's Rainer Schuettler, Jonas Bjorkman of Sweden and the Indian Davis Cup duo of Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi had pledged to donate their prize money from the event for relief operations.
Justin Gimelstob of the United States said he would contribute $2 000 for tsunami victims, while losing finalist Paradorn said on Sunday he would donate an unspecified amount for relief work in Thailand, where more than 5 000 people were killed and damage was extensive.
The ATP announced that it would contribute the $25 000 tournament fee to UNICEF's emergency relief fund in Tamil Nadu. The ATP Tour's sponsor, Mercedes, said on Saturday it would also contribute, increasing the ATP donation to $40 000.
A charity auction before the Chennai Open also raised $22 200, and Bjorkman has urged the tennis community to stay at the forefront of the fund-raising effort for tsunami victims.
- SAPA
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