When Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick face each other on the tennis court a battle of wills and steely determination generally ensues. Preparing a tasty snack obviously makes for a rather more sociable activity, however, as the two men seemed to getting on like a house on fire when they met up over a hot stove on Thursday afternoon.
The two athletes donned aprons instead of their usual sporting gear when they joined forces at the Dacor Taste Of Tennis party in New York. And with a little help from top chef Mario Batall, they soon proved they could serve up a delicious banquet just as easily as a match-winning ace.
Glamorous Russian star Maria Sharapova was also on hand to see them show off their culinary skills. The annual event, which marks the beginning of the US Open, is staged to raise money for City Harvest, a charity which collects excess food from shops and restaurants and then redistributes it to needy people around New York. "This has grown each year and we've found the players and chefs really look forward to it," said organiser Judi Lerner. "Andy, Al and Maria are already comparing notes on their recipes."
This year's Open will be a somewhat emotional event for Andre, as he is planning to retire as soon as the competition comes to an end. His fans are hoping the iconic player can repeat or even better his performance of last year, when he won a series of nail-biting matches to become the oldest player in over three decades to compete in the men's final. The 36-year-old, who has taken the trophy home on two occasions, says he is looking forward to spending more time with his wife Steffi Graf and their children Jaden Gil, four, and Jaz Elle, two.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
