Top-ranked Roddick, Blake highlight UK tennis benefit
The University of Kentucky tennis program will play host to the Lexus Tennis Classic presented by the Lexington Tennis Club Sunday evening at Lexington’s Rupp Arena. Proceeds from the event will benefit the UK tennis program.
The festivities kick off at 5:30 p.m. EST with an exhibition doubles match between the world’s top-ranked doubles tandem, twins Bob and Mike Bryan, and former UK tennis greats Cedric Kauffmann and Greg Van Emburgh. Approximately 30 minutes following the doubles match, the world’s top-ranked men’s singles player, 2003 U.S. Open Champion Andy Roddick, will square off against one of the top Americans on the professional tennis circuit, 37th-ranked James Blake.
Tickets are on sale at the Rupp Arena box office (859-231-3535), all TicketMaster outlets and ticketmaster.com. The Rupp Arena box office will open Sunday at 12 p.m. Tickets are priced at $40 and $30. UK faculty, staff and students may present their respective identification cards for a $10 discount and may purchase an unlimited number of tickets at the discounted rate.
Prior to the event, fans will have the opportunity to register in the Rupp Arena lobby for a free one-year lease on a Lexus automobile. Roddick will select the winner via random drawing during the Lexus Tennis Classic.
Roddick and Blake did battle Thursday evening in Baltimore during a similar tennis exhibition with Roddick claiming a 6-1, 2-6, 6-2 victory. One Roddick serve registered 139 m.p.h. on the 1st Mariner Arena radar system.
