Maria Sharapova, Novak Djokovic join hands to donate $50K in relief as Australia fights raging bushfire
The tennis world has come together to stand for Australia as bushfires continue to rage on. Many players have started to pledge donations in support of those hit by bushfires.
Maria Sharapova recently pledged a donation of $17,400 (25,000 AUSD) for bushfire victims. However, Sharapova didn't stop there. She went on to urge world number 2 Novak Djokovic to do the same. Sharapova took to Twitter to ask 'The Djoker' to make a similar donation and he agreed to it. Sharapova said that it was disheartening to see families, communities and animals destroyed.
Sharapova had posted: "The month of January in Australia has been my home for the past 15 years. Watching fires destroy the lands, its beautiful families and communities of animals is deeply heartbreaking." Djokovic then responded to Sharapova saying, "Yes, @MariaSharapova I would like to match your $25k donation to double the aid sent to these communities. We stand by you."
These donations come after Nick Kyrgios’ recent pledge to donate $200 per ace this summer. Players including Samantha Stosur, Karolina Pliskova, Alex De Minaur, Storm Sanders, John Millman and John Peers have followed suit. Some, in fact, got very creative with donations. Simona Halep, for instance, promised to donate $200 every time she yells at coach Darren Cahill and Alizé Cornet pledged "$50 for every drop shot winner."
Tennis Australia, on the other hand, has agreed upon a donation of A$100 for every ace served at the ATP cup in Brisbane, Perth and Sydney. More than 1,500 aces have already been served by singles and doubles players across the group rounds and Final Eight in Sydney.
The bushfire crisis has turned southeast Australia into an apocalyptic nightmare and it is only getting worse. More than 1,000 homes and nine million acres have been destroyed. As many as 23 people have been killed.