Team Elton John Wins Charity Tennis Event

Team Elton John has won the 16th annual Advanta WTT Smash Hits event and raised over $400,000 for charity.

Held at the Kennesaw State University on Sunday, October 12, the event was organized by John and tennis legend Billie Jean King to raise cash for the Elton John AIDS Foundation and the Atlanta AIDS Partnership Fund.

Sir Elton – a huge sports fan – kicked off the tennis action in a Battle of the Sexes match with Andy Roddick against Anna Kournikova and Martina Navratilova, winning easily 3-1.

Over $171,000 of the event’s total was raised in a live auction held before the games, with top items including two Wimbledon packages with Billie Jean King’s personal Center Court seats – which sold for $21,000 each – as well as Elton John’s autographed piano bench and a Super Bowl package. Roddick surprised other bidders by successfully acquiring a $17,000 artwork made by Martina Navratilova and Slovak artist Juraj Kralik, created when Navratilova hit a paint-soaked tennis balls onto a blank canvas.

“All of the money raised here today will stay here in the Atlanta market and in Georgia,” said Sir Elton during a press conference. “Forty six percent of AIDS cases are now being reported in the South. We are distinctly aware of the problems here and the South will continue to be a priority for the foundation.”