The Elton John AIDS Foundation and World TeamTennis Return to Las Vegas for Smash Hits Charity Tennis Event

Sir Elton John and Billie Jean King Host 24th Annual Event at Caesars Palace on October 10, 2016

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Jul 19, 2016, 08:00 ET

NEW YORK, July 19, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) is pleased to announce that tennis stars Lindsay Davenport, John McEnroe, Martina Navratilova, and Andy Roddick will headline World TeamTennis (WTT) Smash Hits at Caesars Palace, a charity night of tennis co-hosted by longtime friends Sir Elton John and Billie Jean King on Monday, October 10, 2016. Tennis action is set for 7 p.m. PT on a specially-constructed tennis court in the valet parking lot off of Caesars Palace Drive with the pre-match VIP Reception and Auction kicking off at 5:00 p.m.

"Last year's WTT Smash Hits in Las Vegas was one of the most electric and entertaining events of the year, and I look forward to being part of an even bigger event this October at Caesars Palace," said Billie Jean King. "While the tennis is always competitive, one of my favorite parts about this annual event is the work we do for the HIV/AIDS community globally and especially here in Las Vegas. I look forward to being part of Smash Hits every year because it really is the complete package of sport, entertainment and community support."

Last year's event at Caesars Palace raised more than $1 million, bringing the historic total to more than $14 million for EJAF and various local AIDS charities since 1993. Elton, Billie Jean, and all players will participate in the pre-match live auction, which will include an Elton John signed piano bench and Billie Jean's Wimbledon tickets among other items.

Captained by Elton and Billie Jean, the players will form two teams and play a WTT match featuring singles and doubles matches. Elton will participate in a celebrity doubles match to open the event. Additional participants will be announced in the upcoming weeks. Last year, Team Elton took a 12-11 edge in the overall series with a 17-11 win over Team Billie Jean.

"It is always such a great pleasure to co-host this wonderful event with my dear friend Billie Jean King, and I'm absolutely thrilled to be returning to Caesars Palace for some more amazing tennis," said Sir Elton John. "This family-friendly event helps to raise awareness about the continuing challenges of the AIDS epidemic both locally and nationally and to raise urgently needed dollars for community-based HIV prevention, education, advocacy, treatment, and care services. I urge all tennis fans and concerned citizens in the Las Vegas area to support this event and bring their families for a wonderful evening of tennis for a great cause."

Tickets for WTT Smash Hits go on sale at 10 a.m. Pacific on Monday, July 18. All seating will be reserved and have chairbacks. VIP seats, which include admission to the pre-match VIP Reception and Live Auction, are $500. For the tennis action only, Premium Reserved chairback seats are $125, and Reserved chairback seats are $55. Order tickets through www.WTTSmashHits.com or axs.com, or by calling The Colosseum at Caesars Palace box office at (866) 320-9763 or AXS at (888) 929-7849. For group sales of 10 or more tickets, call 212-586-3444, x. 121.

"We are honored once again to host World Team Tennis Smash Hits for the second time in Las Vegas," said Caesars Palace President Gary Selesner. "This prestigious event will be an extraordinary edition to our exciting year here at Caesars Palace as we celebrate the resort's 50th anniversary. Throughout the past 50 years, Caesars Palace has earned its title as the 'Home of Champions' by hosting hundreds of signature sporting events featuring some of the legendary athletes and sports figures of all-time. WTT Smash Hits is another groundbreaking event to add to our illustrious history. We thank Billie Jean King and our resident headliner Elton John for including Caesars Palace in their noble cause."

Official event sponsors include host sponsor Caesars Palace. Additional sponsors and partners include Core Academy, DecoTurf, GEICO, Marty Hennessy Inspiring Children Foundation, and Wilson. Ryan Wolfington and USTA Nevada are promotional partners of WTT Smash Hits.

For more information on WTT Smash Hits, visit www.WTTSmashHits.com.

About EJAF
At the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF), we believe AIDS can be beaten. We act on that belief by raising funds for effective programs and policies, and also by speaking out with honesty and compassion about the realities of people's lives. Sir Elton John created EJAF over twenty years ago, first in the United States in 1992 and then in the United Kingdom in 1993. Through hard work and with the help of our network of kind, amazing, creative, and generous friends and supporters, the two foundations together have raised more than $350 million over the past two decades to combat stigma, prevent infections, provide treatment and services, and motivate governments to end AIDS. The U.S. foundation focuses its efforts on programs in the United States, the Americas, and the Caribbean, while the U.K. foundation funds HIV-related work in Europe, Asia, and Africa. Join us in speaking out, taking action, and contributing to our efforts to achieve a world without AIDS. For more information, please visit www.ejaf.org.

About Mylan World TeamTennis (WTT):
Mylan World TeamTennis showcases the best in professional and recreational team tennis with the innovative team format co-founded by Billie Jean King in the 1970s. Professional teams compete for the King Trophy, the league's championship trophy named after King. In July 2015, Mylan WTT became the fifth major professional team sports league in the U.S. to reach the 40^th season milestone. On the recreational side of the sport, the Mylan WTT Recreational League operates team leagues and events. For more information, visit www.WTT.com.

About Caesars Palace:
World-renowned Las Vegas resort and casino and voted "Best Strip Hotel" in 2015 by the readers of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Caesars Palace features 3,980 hotel guest rooms and suites, including the all-new Julius Tower, the 181-room Nobu Hotel Caesars Palace and Forbes Star Award-winning The Laurel Collection by Caesars Palace. Celebrating its 50^th anniversary in 2016, the 85-acre resort offers 25 diverse dining options including the award-winning Bacchanal Buffet, as well as celebrity chef-branded restaurants by Gordon Ramsay, Bobby Flay, Nobu Matsuhisa, Guy Savoy and MR CHOW. The all-new Montecristo Cigar Bar is now open and pairs notable cigar offerings with fine whiskeys, small bites and more. The resort also features nearly 130,000 square feet of casino space, a five-acre Garden of the Gods pool oasis, the luxurious Qua Baths & Spa, COLOR Salon by celebrity hairstylist Michael Boychuck, five wedding chapels and gardens, and the new 75,000-square-foot OMNIA Nightclub with the top DJs such as Calvin Harris, Martin Garrix and Steve Angello. The 4,300-seat Colosseum, Billboard Magazine's Venue of the Decade, spotlights world-class entertainers including Celine Dion, Elton John, Rod Stewart, Reba, Brooks & Dunn, Mariah Carey and Jerry Seinfeld. The Forum Shops at Caesars showcases more than 160 boutiques and restaurants. For more information, please visit caesarspalace.com. Find Caesars Palace on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram.