Roddick to headline 10th annual BNP Paribas Taste of Tennis

NEW YORK - The world's top tennis players and chefs are set to serve up the US Open's hottest pre-tournament action at the 10th Annual BNP PARIBAS TASTE OF TENNIS. This year's lineup includes tennis superstars Andy Roddick, Tommy Haas, Billie Jean King and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who will cook up culinary aces alongside TV personality and celebrity chef Bethenny Frankel, Carla Hall and Ariane Duarte from Bravo's "Top Chef," and Gotham Bar and Grill's Alfred Portale.

The star-studded charity event, produced by AYS Sports Marketing and benefiting the Food Bank For New York City, is set for Thursday, Aug. 27, 7-10 p.m., at the W New York. ESPN personality Hannah Storm will serve as emcee for the evening. For more information and tickets, call 877-282-7100 or visit www.bnpparibastasteoftennis.com.

One of summer's most anticipated New York night-time events, BNP PARIBAS TASTE OF TENNIS gives guests the chance to mingle with their favorite tennis stars and chefs, while sampling an eclectic mix of specially-designed dishes that earn rave reviews each year.

This year's BNP PARIBAS TASTE OF TENNIS lineup of scheduled players includes:
 
*Andy Roddick (USA)
*Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (France)
*Fernando Gonzalez (Chile)
*Tommy Haas (Germany)
*Nicolas Kiefer (Germany
*Lleyton Hewitt (Australia)
*Billie Jean King (USA)
*Vera Zvonareva (Russia)
*Anabel Medina-Garrigues (Spain)
*Victoria Azarenka (Belarus)
*Aleksandra Wozniak (Canada)
*Jarmila Groth (SVK/Australia)
*Yen-Hsun Lu (China)
*Sam Groth (Australia)

The menu of notable chefs/restaurants scheduled to appear:

*Bethenny Frankel - Celebrity Chef and Author
*Mario Pagán - Chayote
*Alfred Portale - Gotham Bar and Grill
*Todd Mark Miller - STK
*Kevin Harry - Heartbeat
*Chris Santos - The Stanton Social
*Pete Daversa - Hill Country BBQ
*Wendy Israel & Angel Elon - Baking By Design
*Sue Torres - Sueños
*Michael White - Marea
*Carla Hall - Alchemy Caterers (Top Chef)
*Ariane Duarte - Culin Ariane (Top Chef)
*Roberto Treviño- Aguavia
*Sebastiaan Zijp - Bar Blanc
*Brad Farmerie - Public
*Tim Love - The Lonesome Dove Western Bistro
*Chris Rendell - Double Crown
*Kerry Heffernan - South Gate        
*Michelle Park - Kyotofu
*Martin Maginely - Restaurant at Round Hill
*Chai Trivedi - Pranna
*Joel Dennis - Adour at The St. Regis New York
* Adrian Richardson- La Luna (Australia)

This year's BNP PARIBAS TASTE OF TENNIS features a number of marquee sponsors, including BNP Paribas as title sponsor, presenting sponsor Rums of Puerto Rico and sponsors W New York, Food Emporium, The Cayman Islands Department of Tourism, Melbourne Convention & Visitors Bureau, Amtrak, Smart Balance, Saddlebrook Resort, Turnkey Intelligence, Stella Artois, FIJI Water, Dunlop, ESPN the Magazine, Tennis Channel and dGi Management.

This year's BNP PARIBAS TASTE OF TENNIS benefits the FOOD BANK FOR NEW YORK CITY, which provides 68 million pounds of food annually to more than 1,000 emergency and community food programs - including soup kitchens, food pantries, shelters, low-income daycare centers, kids cafes and senior, youth, rehabilitation and outreach centers - throughout the five boroughs of New York City. The Food Bank helps provide 250,000 free meals a day for New Yorkers who otherwise would go hungry or not eat enough, who are largely comprised of women and children, the elderly, people with disabilities and the working poor.

About BNP Paribas and Tennis
This year, BNP Paribas celebrates the 36th anniversary of its partnership with tennis. Since 1973, BNP Paribas has been actively involved in this great sport, regularly increasing its support locally and internationally for professionals and amateurs alike, including families, schools and the community. Over the years, BNP Paribas has become the world's No. 1 tennis sponsor. The bank has been the official sponsor of Roland Garros for 36 years, title sponsor of the Davis Cup since 2001, the Fed Cup since 2005, the BNP Paribas Masters since 1986 and the Internazionali BNL d'Italia since 2006. The bank actively supports numerous other international competitions, such as the WTA Bank of the West Classic in California and the Monte Carlo Masters Series.

In the United States, BNP Paribas is the title sponsor of the BNP Paribas Open, also known as the Grand Slam of the West in Indian Wells, Calif., and of the BNP Paribas Showdown in Madison Square Garden in New York City.