Mountain Challenge- Roddick vs. Courier A world-class tennis event is coming back to Cashiers.
F
ormer world number one tennis star, Andy Roddick, a new Cashiers homeowner, has invited his good friend, and also former world number one, Jim Courier, to battle it out on Saturday, July 26. The event will be hosted at the Cedar Creek Racquet Club in Cashiers. The event is a benefit for the new Boys and Girls Club of the Plateau, opening in the Fall and other youth programs in the Cashiers area.
Photo by Kelly Donaldson
Jim Courier at last year’s event.
58
The Best of Cashiers Valley
2014/2015
Roddick has been one of the most celebrated athletes in the U.S. His career includes 32 ATP titles, a run of nine consecutive years in the Top 10, 45 Davis Cup Matches, including a victory in 2007, and a U.S. Open victory in 2003. In addition to his vast tennis accomplishments, he started the Andy Roddick Foundation in 2000 to help underserved children. He has received two separate Arthur Ashe Awards, the Humanitarian Award in 2005 and the Prestigious Leadership Award for Urban Health in 2007. In 2009 he also received the Heineken Star Award for achieving success both athletically and philanthropically. In the early 1990’s, Jim Courier dominated the men’s professional tennis circuit with a game he fashioned out of grit, determination and a punishing inside-out forehand. He was the first in his class of American champions – which includes Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi – to hold the No. 1 world ranking. In 2005, he was honored by being inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. The event will also feature The Summer Soiree on Friday evening, July 25 hosted by Roddick and Courier. This will be held at Fairfield Lake in Sapphire Photo by Kelly Donaldson and will feature Cirque De Soiree, a street festival, dinAndy Roddick at last year’s event. ing and entertainment by two Grammy award winning bands, The Steep Canyon Rangers