By Saumojyoti Singha Choudhury, IANS
Bangalore : Charity has become part and parcel of major sporting events and the $600,000 WTA Bangalore Open is no different as four players Monday distributed goodies to children of NGO Dream a Dream Foundation at the sidelines of the Tier II event here at the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association.
Anne Kremer of Luxemburg, Tzipora Obziler of Israel, Anastasia Rodionova of Russia and India’s Isha Lakhani interacted with children of the NGO that is working with underprivileged people since 1999.
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Mismanagement has always dogged high-profile events and it was evident during the first day of the weeklong Bangalore Open, South Asia’s biggest Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) tournament.
Sensing the sensitiveness of handling the media, the organizers, Karnataka Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA), has deputed a city-based public relations firm to handle the fourth estate. But the firm’s media managers have also found the task difficult, as they had no answers to some of the queries of journalists.
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Venus Williams is a well-known fashion designer apart from being one of the top women’s tennis players in the world, but her sister Serena said that the game has always been a priority not only for her but for her sister too.
“Tennis is always our priority. Venus is full-fledged into fashion but tennis comes first in her life,” Serena said.
The six-time Grand Slam winner has an Associate’s Degree in Fashion Designing from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale and had been taking classes every autumn, during her break from tennis.
Venus unveiled her new clothing line “Eleven” last year, which is currently being sold at clothing stores around the US.