TENNIS in DEPTH.

Andy Roddick has agreed to participate in the 9th Mark Knowles Charity Invitational December 3-5 in an exhibition at the National Tennis Center.

“It’s extremely exciting to have a former world number one and grand slam champion and someone as popular as Andy coming to the event,” said Knowles yesterday. “It’s really a huge boost and it has added a lot of excitement. We are just waiting on his arrival because he has said he will be willing to participate in any event that we have on the schedule. That’s the type of person he is.”

Knowles and Roddick partnered at the Beijing Open where they reached the doubles final when Knowles’ regular partner Mahesh Bhupathi took a break to recuperate from a groin injury he sustained playing Davis Cup for India.

Roddick, who has been ranked No.1 in the world and is currently ranked No.7, has always wanted to come to the Bahamas and participate in the tournament, according to Knowles.

Paying together in Beijing solidified this year’s appearance for the No.1 ranked American player, who won the 2003 US Open and was a three-time Wimbledon finalist. “We got a little closer and I found out that he such a nice guy,” Knowles said. “He has his own foundation like the Andy Roddick Charitable Organisation, so he understands what it is I’m doing,” Knowles said.

“With him coming, I think it’s going to be one of the greatest ever. To have somebody like Andy Roddick in the Bahamas is going to be so exciting.”

This year, Knowles and his organisers have switched the professional tennis exhibition from Atlantis on Paradise Island to the National Tennis Centre, Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre, 3pm Saturday, December 5.

While adults will be charged an admission fee, Vicki Knowles-Andrews, Knowles’ mother, has indicated that they will be allowing children to be admitted free so as to give as many of them as possible the opportunity to meet Roddick up close and personal.

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