Kuerten, Djokovic, Medvedev & more rally to benefit Brazil flood victims
Doubles player Marcelo Demoliner is organising a live auction that will benefit three charities and assist those affected by unprecedented flooding in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, his home region. The highlight of the auction, which takes place Tuesday, 25 June at 6:30 p.m. EDT, is an exclusive experience with Gustavo Kuerten. Equipment from Novak Djokovic, Juan Martin Del Potro, Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev and Casper Ruud will also be up for auction.
In the past month-and-a-half, Brazil has received torrential rain, displacing hundreds of thousands and tragically killing nearly 200 people. The 35-year-old Demoliner is lending a hand in a time of desperate need for his home country. A native of Caxias do Sul, who has been as high as No. 34 in the PIF ATP Doubles Rankings, Demoliner is teaming with his hometown club Recreio da Juventude and auctioneer Cristiano Escola Leilões to organise the event.
Three-time Roland Garros champion Kuerten, one of 29 men to reach World No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings, is offering a private tour of his Florianopolis museum and personal collection, which is filled with trophies. The highest bidder will meet Kuerten to hear stories and receive behind-the-scenes details of his successful career.
“Guga, our biggest idol, gave us an experience to have an afternoon with him and he will show his museum, his trophies to the person who will buy this experience,” Demoliner told ATPTour.com in excitement. “For me, it’s one of the greatest items we have. Imagine having an afternoon with your idol. For me, this is insane.”
Fans can log on to the Cristiano Escola Leilões website to view the catalog of items and begin bidding. The auction broadcast will be livestreamed on the Recreio da Juventude YouTube channel, Tuesday 25 June at 6:30 p.m. EDT.
Click Here to Watch Charity Auction, Live on 25 June
Select items from Top 10 stars Djokovic, Medvedev, Rublev and Ruud will be auctioned, with racquets, shoes and used kits scheduled to hit the bidding table. WTA star Aryna Sabalenka will have equipment from the 2023 US Open final auctioned. Other items will be from Brazilians including Demoliner, Thomaz Bellucci, Joao Fonseca, Beatriz Haddad Maia, Rafael Matos, Fernando Meligeni, Marcelo Melo and Thiago Monteiro.
“I was competing and following all the news with a heavy heart,” said Demoliner, a five-time ATP Tour doubles champion. “I really wanted to help my state and use my platform as a professional athlete to make a difference. We started mobilising a network within the tennis and sports world, and many athletes embraced the cause. We are very committed to making this charity auction a success to help rebuild the lives of families affected by the floods.”
Athletes and teams from other sports will also contribute items. World surfing champion Felipe Toledo donated an autographed uniform. Football teams Corinthians, Flamengo, Atlético Mineiro, and São Paulo sent jerseys signed by their players for the auction.
The three institutions that will benefit from the auction are Operação de Volta Para Casa (Operation Back to My Home), Rotary Brazil and WimBelenDon. All proceeds will be directed towards the reconstruction of Rio Grande do Sul.
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About the Charities:
Operação de Volta Para Casa registers families directly affected by the floods and verifies the accuracy of the provided information. The organisation then supplies essential items to ensure safety and functionality in the reconstruction of homes.
Rotary Brazil has provided humanitarian aid for over 110 years. Rotary’s activities include combatting diseases, providing clean water and sanitation and protecting the environment. A group of volunteers combine to take action and create lasting change in themselves, their communities and the world.
WimBelenDon is a social project aimed at promoting the inclusion of children and adolescents in situations of risk or social vulnerability, fostering their holistic development, and stimulating their agency. Tennis serves as the main attraction to engage and retain the students, but it is interconnected with a much richer and more comprehensive work, consisting of socio-emotional, pedagogical and cultural workshops, which promote individual and social transformations.
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