ITF, Grand Slam tournaments pledge $400K for wildfire help
Lisa Maree Williams / Getty Images News / Getty
LONDON (AP) The International Tennis Federation and the groups that run the U.S. Open, French Open and Wimbledon pledged a total of $400,000 on Monday to help the relief efforts for the Australian wildfires.
The donations will go to the Australian Red Cross.
The death toll in Australia has risen to at least 27, while the fires have destroyed more than 2,000 homes and scorched an area larger than the U.S. state of Indiana since September. Four of the casualties have been firefighters.
The fire threat is most acute in rural communities, but wildfire smoke has choked some of Australia's largest cities.
The year's first Grand Slam tennis tournament, the Australian Open, is scheduled to start Jan. 20 in Melbourne.
HEADLINES
- Sinner storms into Wimbledon final with 3-set rout of Djokovic
- Djokovic vows to play at Wimbledon 'at least one more time'
- Alcaraz fights off Fritz to move into another Wimbledon final
- Fritz sends water bottle to unwell fan as heat hits Wimbledon again
- Siniakova, Verbeek win Wimbledon mixed-doubles title
Advertisement