VERO BEACH – Winner of 27 Grand Slams and former World No. 1 Serena Williams will join forces with Event Host Mardy Fish, Jake Owen, Sam Querrey, Chris Young, the Bryan Brothers, and Eric Paslay to raise funds and delight fans at the sixth annual Mardy’s Tennis & Jake’s Music Fest to Benefit the Mardy Fish Foundation and Jake Owen Foundation.
This star-studded event includes a Tennis Exhibition featuring event host Mardy Fish, Serena Williams, Sam Querrey and Bob and Mike Bryan, “the Bryan Brothers,” on Friday, Dec. 9, at Grand Harbor Golf & Beach Club, and a Concert featuring Jake Owen with special guests Chris Young and Eric Paslay at Holman Stadium at Vero Beach Sports Village on Saturday, Dec. 10.
Williams, who in 2010 was named the greatest women’s tennis player of all time by Sports Illustrated, has won 39 singles titles, 20 doubles titles and 2 mixed doubles titles as a WTA professional, including 27 Grand Slam titles. Williams reached No. 1 in the WTA world rankings five separate times between 2002 and 2009. She is the most recent player to hold all four Grand Slam singles titles simultaneously and, along with her sister and doubles partner Venus Williams, the most recent player to hold all four Grand Slam doubles titles simultaneously. Williams has won two Olympic Gold Medals in women’s doubles, and has earned more career prize money than any other female athlete in history. The addition of Williams, who is currently ranked No. 12 in the world, means that Mardy’s Tennis & Jake’s Music Fest will feature the top American men’s and women’s players, as well as the No. 1 doubles team in the world.
“We are thrilled to announce that Serena Williams will be participating in Mardy’s Tennis & Jake’s Music Fest,” said Fish. “She is a fierce competitor and one of the all-time greats of our sport and I am so excited that our hometown crowd will get to see her in action. I’m just glad I won’t be playing against her.”
Mardy’s Tennis & Jake’s Music Fest kicks off on Friday, Dec. 9 when Fish visits with students from the Mardy Fish Foundation after school programs at Vero Beach Elementary School. Fish will then host the Kids’ Tennis Clinic at Grand Harbor Golf & Beach Club. The festivities continue at Grand Harbor with Master of Ceremonies Sportscaster Brett Haber presiding over a Country Western-themed Reception featuring dinner, drinks and live and silent auction with auctioneer and Indian River County Commissioner Wesley Davis from 6 to 7 p.m.
The action-packed day concludes with the Tennis Exhibition at 7:30 p.m. The Exhibition will begin with a singles match featuring Mardy Fish versus Sam Querrey, followed by a doubles match pairing Fish and Querrey against the world No. 1 doubles team, “the Bryan Brothers.” Fans will then be treated to a special mixed doubles match in which Fish will partner with Williams. Each match will consist of one set.
Gates open at 6 p.m. for the Tennis Exhibition, and attendees will be able to enjoy concessions and displays by event sponsors. Beginning at 6:30 p.m., students from the Mardy Fish Foundation Achievable Dreams After School Programs for ultimate Frisbee, dance, flags, cheer and cheerleading will perform. General parking will open at 6 p.m. at a cost of $5 per vehicle.
Mardy’s Tennis & Jake’s Music Fest continues on Saturday, Dec. 10 with the Concert featuring Vero Beach native and Platinum-certified RCA Nashville recording artist Jake Owen with Special Guests RCA Nashville recording artist Chris Young and EMI Nashville recording artist Eric Paslay at Holman Stadium at Vero Beach Sports Village.
The Concert starts at 7 p.m. and gates open at 5:30 p.m., at which time concessions will be available. Four lots are available for general parking at a cost of $5 per vehicle, and premier parking is available directly in front of Holman Stadium for $15.
Tickets for the Tennis Exhibition are $75 for Box Seats (reserved chair-back seat) and $35 for General Admission tickets (unreserved bleacher seat). Tickets for the Jake Owen Concert with Special Guests Chris Young and Eric Paslay are $100 for VIP Premier Seats (infield – first 15 rows), $75 for Premier (infield – starting at row 16), $65 for Pit Area (standing room only), $35 for Reserved Seats (stadium seating) and $25 for General Admission (unreserved stadium seating).
To purchase tickets, call 866.333.7623 or visit www.chevents.com. Registration for the Kids’ Tennis Clinic is $30 and invitations to the Reception are $150. Both can be purchased by visiting www.chevents.com or phoning C & H Events at 561.394.9190.
Proceeds from Mardy’s Tennis & Jake’s Music Fest benefit the Mardy Fish Foundation and Jake Owen Foundation. The Mardy Fish Foundation mission is to provide children access to after school exercise, nutritional and enrichment programs in a safe environment to prepare them for healthy, productive and successful lives so they can achieve their dreams. Since its establishment in 2006, the Mardy Fish Foundation has opened after school programs in 13 elementary schools benefiting more than 2,000 students in Indian River County. In 2009, the Foundation initiated another city-wide program, Mardy’s Kids on Courts, that allows local youth to improve their tennis skills through instruction and competition while instilling the many life lessons tennis has to offer. Founded in 2010, the Jake Owen Foundation was created to offer its support on a national level to children battling cancer and other childhood diseases through St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital while lending its support to the Mardy Fish Foundation and its mission to assist youth. St. Jude patients are benefiting from the extensive research and patient-care the hospital provides.