By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

Another talented group of international stars will be in town this weekend to participate in the fourth annual Baha Mar Cup.

The one-of-a-kind tennis fundraiser, organised by legendary Bahamian tennis player Mark Knowles, is scheduled for Friday to Sunday with a variety of events being staged for both the visitors and local participants.

Fans will get to see some of the top players who have been or are still ranked among the top five in the world, on both the men and women sides. They include Victoria Azarenka, James Blake, Jessica Pegula, Milos Raonic, Taylor Townsend and Austin Krajicek along with icon Knowles. “I’m looking forward to it. It’s going to be a great weekend. We have a great line-up for the public to come out and see,” Knowles said.

Pegula, currently ranked at number four in the world in women’s singles and No.8 in doubles, is a three-time major quarterfinalist in singles and was a 2022 French Open doubles finalist. Coco Gauff will also be returning for an encore after participating in last year’s event, along with Blake, who had a career high No.4 in singles, was a 10-career ATP Tour men’s singles champion, three-time major quarterfinalist and a 2007American representative on the Davis Cup team.

Azarenka is a former No.1 player in the world in singles, a two-time Australian Open champion, three-time US Open finalist and winner of 21 career WTA women’s singles titles, while Townsend is pegged at No.5 in women’s doubles, a four-time WTA doubles title holder, a 2022 US Open doubles finalist and 2023 French Open Doubles finalist.

Raonic is a former No.3 player in the world in singles who made the Wimbledon finals in 2016 and has won eight career ATP Tour singles titles.

Knowles, on the other hand, is a five-time Bahamian Olympian who was a former No.1 player in the world in doubles and a three-time doubles major winner with Canadian Daniel Nestor at the 2002 Australian Open, 2004 US Open and 2007 French Open.

“We have a good line-up. It’s exciting to have such great players coming to the Bahamas,” Knowles stated.

“The players on tour have a short off season, so I’m extremely appreciative when the great players can take the time out of their busy schedule to come down to the Bahamas and support the event.

“We will also have our local stars Jacobi Bain and Michael Major Jr, who are both in college. They are in

town and they are two guys who have been huge beneficiaries of the Mark Knowles Charitable Foundation and so it’s always good to have them involved as well as they show how they are progressing year after year.”

This is going on the 20th year that Knowles has been bringing the high-level tennis competition to the Bahamas, although he started out in the first 13 years at Atlantis.

“We’re happy to have this relationship with Baha Mar to be able to continue this event over the past four years,” Knowles said. “I’m always passionate about our country and what better way for me to use my platform than to provide opportunities for those less fortunate.

“At the same time, I get to expose our country to some of these great tennis players. Sometimes we get a lot of great pros who come to the event and they want to come back. It just goes to show that we have a lot to offer to the world and so we are excited to be able to partner with Baha Mar.”

The Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association, as well as a number of young players, are expected to benefit from the funds raised during the tournament. In the past, charities such as Cancer Society of the Bahamas and the Sassoon Heart Foundation and several others have benefitted.

Knowles, who has been working as a TV commentator for the Tennis Channel and serving on the Board of Directors for the ATP, will be coming from his home in Dallas on Thursday.

He’s married to Dawn and they have three children. Their oldest son is 18-year-old Graham, a quarterback in his senior year in high school who has received a full scholarship to attend Georgia Tech in January.

Their middle son Brody, 15, is a wide receiver in football and an avid basketball player and their daughter Presley, 12, has not yet decided on which sport she will play, but is leaning more towards tennis as she follows in her father’s footsteps.

A series of events have been planned for the weekend.

They include the following:

Friday - Welcome Reception at ECCHO.

Saturday - 9:15-10am - Kickoff Classic, 10am-12:30 pm Pro-Am Tournament, 2:30-4:30pm - Pro Exhibition. 7pm - Baha Mar Foundation Dinner hosted by Marcus Samuelsson.

Sunday - 9:30-11am - Kid’s Clinic.