Look To The Stars News: Rafael Nadal

Roger Federer Leads Charity Fundraiser For Haiti

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 12:30:00 -0000

On the eve of the Australian Open, Roger Federer had his eye on more than a trophy – because three days prior, the earthquake in Haiti stuck and killed at last 200,000 people. So what’s a champ to do except hold a charity tennis match to aid relief efforts

Federer initiated and organized a mixed-doubles fundraiser that raised more than $600,000 and featured some of tennis’ top stars, wearing microphones on court and providing comedic commentary as they played.

On the court were, among others, Rafael Nadal, Andy Roddick, Kim Clijsters and Lleyton Hewitt.

The match – held at the Rod Laver Arena – raised about $125,000, with seats priced to sell at just under $10, and spurred an onslaught of donations from the tennis world.

“Haiti is a tragedy that has touched the hearts of the world,” Tennis Australia CEO Steve Wood said in the statement. “The tennis community just wanted to help.”

The ATP Tour, the WTA Tour and the International Tennis Federation contributed a combined $265,000; the Grand Slam Committee gave $177,000 after Federer won his 16th Grand Slam final.

Federer beat Andy Murray 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (11), to win his 16th Grand Slam title and his fourth Australian Open.

Players have also donated rackets to an auction on eBay which raised almost $40,000.

A Weekend Of Celebrity Giving To Haiti

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 05:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Actress Sandra Bullock is the latest star to give big to Haitian earthquake relief over a weekend defined by donations of time and money.

The star has matched last week’s donation of $1 million from Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

“I wanted to ensure that my donation would be used immediately to meet the needs of the Haitian people affected by this catastrophic event,” she said. Her donation went to Doctors Without Borders.

She has been joined over the weekend by Madonna, who gave $250,000 to Partners in Health.

“My prayers are with the people of Haiti,” she said. “I can’t imagine the terrible pain and suffering they are experiencing. Sadly the depths of the tragedy are just becoming known and the need for our support grows more urgent with every passing moment. I have given a donation of $250,000 to assist Haiti’s earthquake victims through Partners in Health, one of Haiti’s leading healthcare providers. I urge all of my friends and fans around the world to join me collectively to match my contribution or give in any way you can. We must act now.”

Supermodel Gisele Bundchen also dipped into deep pockets for the cause, handing over $1.5 million to the Red Cross.

“I am heartbroken by the catastrophic events of the past six days in Haiti. It is important in times like these that we come together and find ways to help in any way we can,” she said.

Meanwhile, Wyclef Jean and Anderson Cooper will co-host George Clooney's MTV telethon this Friday – Clooney will be in LA, Jean in New York, and Cooper will be live in Haiti. Donations will go to Oxfam America, Partners in Health, Red Cross, UNICEF and Wyclef’s Yéle Haiti Foundation.

“I’m going to be doing the thing that George [Clooney] is organizing; the telethon,” said British actress Emily Blunt. “But I think, really, it’s just about everyone — everyone — needs to jump in. Everyone needs to get involved in whatever way they can. So, I think I’m just going to research the best way to help.”

Joe Jonas from the Jonas Brothers is taking his giving one step further – he plans to visit the country and help out.

“[I can get there] either this Tuesday or, like, two or three weeks from now,” he said. “I can’t promise I’m going to go, but I’m going to try,” he insisted. “I really want to be able to support in any way I can; I was going to go to Haiti before, to do similar work there. But now it’s obviously a completely different thing and my heart goes out to those people there and the families and everything. I just pray that everybody’s all right, and I’m going to try and do my best by getting there. And I would definitely say, if anyone can give money or support, it’s the perfect way to do it.”

John Travolta has also dug deep to help the relief efforts: “I have arranged for a plane to take down some volunteer ministers and some supplies and some medics. I hope that inspires others as well. It’s needed.”

Actress Kerry Washington has put her efforts into helping struggling mothers in Haiti through V-Day: “We have a safe house in Haiti for women who are survivors of domestic violence. Our president just asked [George] Bush and [Bill] Clinton to come together for a fund.”

Sports stars are also lining up to lend a hand – tennis star Roger Federer has organized a massive tennis event featuring stars such as Rafael Nadal, Andy Roddick, Kim Clijsters, Serena Williams and Samantha Stosur to take place at the Australian Open.

“The entry fee is a minimum donation of $10,” he said. "This should be fun and it’s for a great cause.

“I think it’s something as a tennis family we’re very happy to do. I know it’s on the eve of the first Grand Slam of the season, so for some it’s not so easy maybe mentally to separate a few things — but I think it’s a great initiative.

“The devastating earthquake which hit Haiti on Tuesday measured 7.0 on the Richter Scale and has left tens of thousands of people dead. The United Nations has launched an appeal for hundreds of millions of dollars to try to help around three million people in need.”

90210 star AnnaLynne McCord was volunteering in Haiti in December, and has opened a Twitter page to appeal to fans to give.

“Okay everybody!” she wrote. "Time to get busy! Haiti needs our help, desperately! I was there 3 weeks ago volunteering with Artists for Peace and Justice. Please donate to them!"

Lady Gaga has also made use of Twitter to encourage fans to give to the cause – she announced that she will use her January 24 concert as a fundraiser.

“Jan 24th is GAGA FOR HELPING HAITI day,” she wrote. “Go to www.ladygaga.com on the 24th + 100% of all merchandise purchased goes to earthquake relief. Monies will be donated immediately, spread the word around the world so we can raise as much money as possible.  ”Little monsters attending the Monsterball on the 24th: all ticket + and merch/cd profit will be donated. Save your money. Help save a life."

The concert is at the Radio City Music Hall in New York.

LookToTheStars.org will keep you updated with all celebrity charity news relating to the Haitian earthquake as it comes to hand.

Elton John Donates To Northern Ireland Children's Hospice Ball

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 15:00:00 -0000

Belfast, Northern Ireland, is to play host to a red carpet gala like never before. The White Sapphire Ball, in aid of the Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice, will be the highlight of the Irish Social Calendar. The glittering event takes place on 3 October in Belfast’s Europa Hotel.

Not only will Riverdance be headlining, with a spine-tingling performance of extracts from their smash-hit show, there will also be a ‘Money Can’t Buy’ Grand Auction featuring lots donated by a host of celebrities, including Elton John, Brian May, Madonna, Rafael Nadal, Ireland Rugby, Rory McIlroy and Michael Deane.

Guests already scheduled to attend the White Sapphire Ball include Northern Ireland industry’s high fliers, entrepreneurs, business leaders, artists, celebrities and supporters of the Children’s Hospice.

Currently there are 750 children with life-limiting illnesses in Northern Ireland. The Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice looks after every child’s nursing, medical, social, spiritual and emotional needs with added support for the family continuing into bereavement. Services are available 24 hours a day, every day of the year and there is no charge. It costs approximately £2 million to keep the Hospice’s services going and with limited government funding they are totally reliant on corporate and public support to maintain its vital services.

Music legend Sir Elton John has donated two tickets to his must-see Dublin concert on October 30. The sought after tickets are part of a luxury VIP weekend package that includes a weekend break at the exclusive Ritz-Carlton Powerscourt, County Wicklow and dinner at the celebrity hotel’s acclaimed Gordon Ramsey restaurant. The successful bidder will head off on the Friday night to Dublin’s O2 Arena to attend Sir Elton’s sell-out live Red Piano show before setting off to the foothills of the majestic Sugar Loaf Mountain in Co Wicklow to the opulent Ritz-Carlton Hotel, where internationally-famed chef and TV celebrity Gordon Ramsey has chosen to plant his first restaurant in Ireland.

Set amidst one of the most scenic and historic estates in Ireland, The Ritz-Carlton showcases Palladium style architecture and also hosts a 30, 000 luxury ESPA spa and two championship calibre golf courses. Sir Elton John’s Red Piano show debuted to critical acclaim in Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas in 2004 and was subsequently extended worldwide due to an overwhelming demand finally closing in Las Vegas earlier this year, after the ‘candle in the wind’ singer played 243 performances to around a million people. This Dublin Red Piano Show is the very last one Worldwide and with none planned for the foreseeable future, it is highly unlikely that the show will be seen again in Europe at all.

A piece of Irish sporting history and unique VIP Package will go under the Hammer. Up for grabs is a signed 2009 winning Grand Slam six nations Irish Rugby Jersey and amazing VIP experience at Croke Park. The jersey was signed by the team after Ireland claimed a dramatic win and their first grand slam in 61 years. Originally donated to the Ballycastle Hospice Support group, the signed jersey was passed on to the organizer of The White Sapphire Ball, Séainín Brennan, who will put it up for auction at her star studded red carpet event next month.

Tommy Bowe, who plays on the wing for the Ospreys, Ireland and the British and Irish Lions has also personally donated 2 tickets to watch Ireland versus Australia at the magnificent Croke Park stadium on Sunday 15th November 2009. The sold out match will be one of the highlights in this year’s rugby diary and the lucky bidder will experience Ireland play on home ground to a packed stadium of 82 000 people and to top it all off afterwards they will meet the young international star.

Northern Ireland’s golfing sensation Rory McIlroy is taking time out from his busy schedule to play a round of golf with a lucky bidder. The round of golf with Northern Ireland’s hottest golfing superstar at the stunning 5 Star Lough Erne Golf Resort is just one of the exclusive ‘Money Can’t Buy’ Grand Auction lots on offer at the Europa Hotel on October 3rd. The lucky bidder also gets use of an Audi R8 – courtesy of the evening’s main sponsor Agnew Corporate, for a true driving experience as they make their way to enjoy a luxury weekend break at the famous Lough Erne Golf Resort.

This is the dream package for any golfer! The lucky bidder gets to drive down to Lough Erne Golf Resort in the Audi R8 supercar – the only 5* star golf resort in Northern Ireland. This luxury package includes two nights’ accommodation in a luxury lodge or suite with breakfast, dinner in the fine dining restaurant with a specially selected bottle of wine, afternoon tea for two with their famous chocolate cocktail, thai spa treatments for two and then to top it all off, you get to play a round of golf on the Faldo championship golf course with the world famous Rory McIlroy.

Rory McIlroy: “Playing a round with the winner will be all the more rewarding knowing that children are going to benefit. I had no hesitation offering to support such a worthy cause and I hope the charity auction raises everything it sets out to.”

‘Hollyoaks’ are also on board and are offering one lucky bidder a Walk On Part in their smash hit TV show. This celebrity package also includes: An exclusive ‘Behind the Scenes’ tour of the Hollyoaks set and lunch at Lime Pictures Childwall Studios with the cast for the lucky bidder and a guest of their choice and to top it off, local Hollyoaks star Gerard McCarthy will take the bidder and their guest out for dinner at one of Liverpool’s top show-biz restaurants before they take to the opulence of Liverpool’s Mal Maison hotel for an overnight stay.

Michelin Star celebrated chef, Michael Deane, is offering a once in a lifetime opportunity to have a gourmet dinner for 8 people, prepared and cooked by Michael himself, in your own home. The winning bidder and 7 friends will also get the opportunity to learn some trade secrets from Northern Ireland’s top chef. This luxury auction item also includes a Sommelier’s choice of fine wine, making it a fantastic opportunity for all gourmet lovers and fans of Northern Ireland’s only Michelin Star Restaurant, Deanes.

“The care that the Children’s Hospice gives to terminally-ill children and the support that they provide to their families is vital. I’m a father myself, but I can’t imagine what it must be like for these families. The Children’s Hospice concentrate on making sure that every day is special for these children and that the whole family gets the support they need. We can all do something to help these children and families by supporting NI Children’s Hospice. It is a great privilege for me to be able to be involved with such a worthy cause” said Michael.

To find out more about this amazing charity event, visit the official website by clicking here.

Tennis Pros Tutor Teens

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 14:31:00 -0000

Kids in NY were treated to tips from tennis stars Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams in NY last week.

Fans and youth from New York Junior Tennis League, Athletes for Charity, New York City Parks Foundation and Mentoring USA were on hand to learn from the pros at Nike’s 2009 unveiling of the US Open’s ‘look’.

“This is an exciting opportunity to bring the thrill of the US Open directly to tennis fans in New York,” said tennis icon John McEnroe. “Providing a platform for kids to experience the beauty and power of this game and meet their tennis icons is incredible.”

A temporary court was set up for the event at 23rd Street and Broadway, where a youth representative from each organization returned balls from a tennis simulator set to mimic pro shots. The representative who performed best was granted a donation for their local group.

Lleyton Hewitt Launches Charity Auction

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 13:00:00 -0000

Written by Tim Saunders

Former tennis ace Lleyton Hewitt will be in Melbourne on Thursday, October 30, to promote a new charity auction.

The Cure Our Kids auction includes a range of unique items, such as the tennis racquet used by world No.1 Rafael Nadal, Ana Ivanovic’s pink tennis dress from her French Open win, as well as items from celebrities including Russell Crowe, Andre Agassi, Gwen Stefani, Toni Collette and Hugh Jackman.

“We’ve [also] got a signed shirt from Roger Federer that he actually gave me after he beat me, which is the last thing you want to see from someone who has beaten you in the locker room," said Hewitt. “It’s been hard bringing it all together – but it’s very satisfying.”

Cure Our Kids is a non-profit organization based in Sydney that is dedicated to raising money for the Oncology Unit at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead.

The auction can be accessed here.

Dacor Taste of Tennis

Sun, 30 Sep 2007 20:02:31 -0000

Written by Delinda Lombardo

On August 23, 2007, at the W Hotel in New York, over 400 food, wine and tennis fans convened for the Dacor Taste of Tennis Food and Wine event to benefit the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation.

Coinciding with the launch of the 2007 US Open, the event featured tennis stars such as Andy Roddick, Tommy Haas and Rafael Nadal as they traded in their rackets for aprons and joined forces with some of the world’s top chefs in cooking demonstrations. Celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson and more than a dozen top-ranked restaurants – Amalia, The Palm, Barbounia, Anthos, davidburke&donatella – all had chefs on hand to prepare mouthwatering dishes such as mini crab cakes with Aleppo mayonnaise and braised short ribs with sea salt and butterscotch-carrot puree.

Aquavit chef Marcus Samuelsson, whose new African restaurant opens in October, guided Roddick through the culinary process of making mango, raisin and jalapeño couscous with Moroccan-spiced lamb. Guest enjoyed stations and bars set up by Rums of Puerta Rico, Pilsner and Palm Bay Imports, while players participated in cooking demonstrations and mingled with guests in lounges spread throughout the hotel.

In addition to Andy Roddick, several other tennis professionals were in attendance. Nicolas Kiefer served up hamachi crudo, Tomas Berdych took a stab at sesame oil-spiked tuna, Mario Ancic drizzled oilive oil over steaks from the Strip House, Ashley Weinhold perfected Amalia chef Ivy Stark’s crab cakes and Rapahel Nadal simply enjoyed the food.

The event also showcased a silent auction with incredible sports memorabilia such as boxing gloves signed by Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield, a signed poster of Dale Sayers and ice skates signed by the controversial Tonya Harding.

AYS, a company specializing in creating, managing and marketing unique sports and entertainment related events, hosted the event. President and event founder, Judi Lerner, said, “This event has grown each year and we’ve found the players and chefs really look forward to it.”

If you’d like to test your own culinary expertise, below are several of recipes that were prepared during the event.

Berbere-Crusted Rack of Lamb with Mango Couscous
Makes 6 to 8 servings

From chef Marcus Samuelsson of Aquavit (made with help from Andy Roddick at Dacor Taste of Tennis)

1/2 cup olive oil
11 1/2 tablespoons coarsely chopped rosemary
1 large garlic clove, smashed
2 frenched racks of lamb (1 1/2 pounds each)
3 tablespoons Berbere or mild chili powder
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons beaten egg yolk
1/4 cup fine breadcrumbs
1 to 2 tablespoons dry red wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon dry red wine
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Combine the oil, rosemary and garlic in a large zipper-lock bag. Add the lamb, then seal the bag, forcing out the excess air. Marinate in the refrigerator for 8 to 24 hours, turning the bag several times.

Preheat the oven to 400. Make the berbere paste: Stir together 1 tablespoon of the Berbere (or chili powder), the mustard, yolk and breadcrumbs in a small bowl, then add enough wine to make a paste. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Remove lamb from the marinade; discard the marinade. Heat a dry 12-inch heavy sauté pan over high heat until very hot. Reduce the heat to medium-high and brown the lamb, one rack at a time, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer, fat side up, to a large roasting pan.

Smear the Berbere paste on the fat side of the lamb. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the rack reads 125 for medium-rare, about 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer the lamb to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes.

While the lamb is roasting, toast the remaining two tablespoons Berbere in a small heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chicken stock and wine and bring to a boil, then boil until reduced to the consistency of a sauce. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter bit by bit until incorporated. Serve with the lamb.

Mango Couscous
Makes 4 cups

1 cup couscous
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 garlic clove, minced
1 mango, peeled, pitted and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 1 cup)
1 jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped
1/2 cup raisins
1 ripe tomato, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup loosely packed small cilantro sprigs, chopped
1/4 cup loosely packed small parsley sprigs, chopped
Salt

Prepare the couscous according to the package directions. Set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the garlic, mango and jalapeño and sauté until the mango begins to color lightly. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, the couscous, raisins, tomato, lime juice, cilantro and parsley and toss to heat through. Season with salt. Serve hot or at room temperature.

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