- Title: USA: STARS ATTEND 'INTERNATIONAL TASTE OF TENNIS' PARTY IN NEW YORK.
- Date: 21st August 2003
- Summary: (S2) NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (AUGUST 21, 2003) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. INTERNATIONAL TASTE OF TENNIS PARTY AT THE "W" HOTEL 2. INTERNATIONAL CHEFS PREPARING FOOD 3. ANDRE AGASSI ENTERS PARTY WITH CHEF EMERIL LAGASSE 4. AGASSI ASSISTING LAGASSE IN MAKING A SPICY SHRIMP DISH 5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) AGASSI SAYING: "It is sad in many ways, but he has the right to leave on his own terms and I wish him the world of good." REPORTER QUESTION: Do you expect to win this year? "I hope so. That is what I am here for. Every year I try to come hear to win it." 6. AGASSI POSING WITH LAGASSE 7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) TENNIS COACH BRAD GILBERT SAYING: "He had an unbelievable run. I am sure in hindsight he wishes he did it a year ago. He came in quietly, he leaves quietly. He played with a lot of dignity. A great player." 8. ANDY RODDICK TASTING FOOD PREPARED BY MORIMOTO (THE IRON CHEF) 9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) RODDICK SAYING: "I don't know. The summer has passed us and it is a new tournament. I have have a very tough first round in Henman. It's the only guy I lost to this summer so it's coincidence that we play in the first round, but I am excited." 10. CUTAWAY 11. (SOUNDBITE) (English) RODDICK SAYING: "Obviously, he is one of my idols and the game will never be the same without him. He accomplished a lot in this game and he should be very proud." 12. CHEF PREPARING FOOD (S2) NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (AUGUST 21, 2003) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 13. VENUS WILLIAMS AND DIANE VON FURSTENBERG POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS 14. (SOUNDBITE) (English) VENUS WILLIAMS TALKING ABOUT HER ABDOMINAL TEAR: "I'm not really a 100 percent at this point, but I think I have a really good chance at the open no matter what the circumstances are. So, I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that everything will be ok." 15. WILLIAMS WITH PRESS 16. (SOUNDBITE) (English) WILLIAMS SAYING: "It's been four, five years since Williams has been on the trophy at the U.S. Open and it has really been a dream come true. When I hold it up I see the S, the V, the S, the V, and it's what we dreamed about, so dreams are coming true." 17. WILLIAMS SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS 18. (SOUNDBITE) (English) WILLIAMS TALKING ABOUT HER SISTER, SERENA WILLIAMS, WHO HAS PULLED OUT OF THE TOURNAMENT: "Yeah, she definitely wants to come. She told me she's going to be there in the stands, and I definitely need her support when I'm not playing well. I definitely look up to her and my family to get some support, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed there, too." 20. WILLIAMS AT DIANE VON FURSTENBERG PARTY Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 5th September 2003 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- City:
- Country: USA
- Reuters ID: LVA7G49QIGUXT6KNGA4J6M222VM2
- Story Text: With Serena out with an injury and Sampras retiring,
who is the favourite? Americans Andre Agassi and Venus
Williams look to add to their U.S. Open titles while
American Andy Roddick hopes to win his U.S. Championship.
It was a hot night in New York City with some of the
world's greatest tennis stars showing up at some big New
York cocktail parties. At the swanky International
Taste of Tennis Party on the Eastside of Manhattan, Andre
Agassi and Andy Roddick showed off some of their cooking
skills with some of the world's top ranked chefs. The
athletes attended the event to raise money for New York's
City "Meals on Wheels" programme.
Agassi commented on the big news of the day with Pete
Sampras retiring from the sport. "It is sad in many ways,
but he has the right to leave on his own terms and I wish
him the world of good." Agassi's former coach Brad Gilbert
had only good things to say about Pete. "He had an
unbelievable run. I am sure in hindsight he wishes he did
it a year ago. He came in quietly, he leaves quietly. He
played with a lot of dignity. A great player," said Gilbert.
American Andy Roddick looked up to the tennis legend
growing up. "Obviously, he is one of my idols and the game
will never be the same without him. He accomplished a lot
in this game and he should be very proud."
Roddick has had a great summer, but he is concerned
about in his first round opponent. The summer has passed us
and it is a new tournament. I have have a very tough first
round in Henman. It's the only guy I lost to this summer so
its coincidence that we play in the first round, but I am
excited."
Across town, Venus Williams was hanging out with
designer Diane Von Furstenberg. Venus will be wearing the
socialite's designer tennis wear at the Open this year.
On her abdominal injury Williams said: "I'm not really
a 100 percent at this point, but I think I have a really
good chance at the open no matter what the circumstances
are. So, I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that
everything will be ok."
Venus would like to continue her family's string of
consecutive Open Championships. "It's been four, five years
since Williams has been on the trophy at the U.S. Open and
it has really been a dream come true. When I hold it up I
see the S, the V, the S, the V, and it's what we dreamed
about, so dreams are coming true."
With Serena not playing because of a knee injury, Venus
can use her sister's support in the stands. "Yeah, she
definitely wants to come. She told me she's going to be
there in the stands, and I definitely need her support when
I'm not playing well. I definitely look up to her and my
family to get some support, so I'm keeping my fingers
crossed there, too, said Venus."
The Open begins on Monday, August 25th.
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