IMG Tennis will host the Stay at Home Slam via Facebook Gaming this Sunday. The virtual gaming event will feature a Mario Tennis Aces competition with real tennis stars and celebrities battling it out for the Mushroom Kingdom crown.The lineup includes Serena and Venus Williams and Maria Sharapova, as well as model Gigi Hadid, DJ Steve Aoki and TikToker Addison Rae. Proceeds from the match go to relief efforts supporting those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The tournament will function as a doubles competition with teams made of one tennis star and one celebrity guest. The teams are: Serena Williams and Gigi Hadid; Naomi Osaka and Hailey Bieber; Venus Williams and JuJu Smith-Schuster; Maria Sharapova and Karlie Kloss; Kei Nishikori and Steve Aoki, Madison Keys and Seal; Taylor Fritz and Addison Rae and Kevin Anderson and Ryan Tannehill. YouTube's iJustine and tennis star John McEnroe will provide commentary.
Each competitor will automatically receive $25,000 for a charity of their choice. The winning team will earn a $1,000,000 donation in their name for COVID-19 relief efforts.
This event is a part of Play Apart Together, an initiative by Facebook Gaming, which "encourages players to follow the WHO's health guidelines such as physical distancing" during the coronavirus outbreak.
The program will broadcast live on to Facebook IMG Tennis at 4 p.m. EST/1 p.m. PST on Sunday, May 3. The hashtag #StayAtHomeSlam is being used for updates and live coverage on the event.