September 4 – 17, 2008 9^th Annual ‘BNP Paribas Taste of Tennis’ The world’s top tennis players and chefs served-up the US Open’s hottest pre-tournament action at the 9^th Annual BNP PARIBAS TASTE OF TENNIS.  This year’s lineup included tennis superstars Andy Roddick, Jelena Jankovic, Robby Ginepri, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Lleyton Hewitt and David Ferrer, who cooked-up culinary aces alongside such acclaimed chefs as the Food Network’s Ingrid Hoffmann, John DeLucie of The Waverly Inn and Gotham Bar and Grill’s Alfred Portale. The charity event produced by AYS Sports Marketing and benefiting Food Bank For New York City, was held at the W New York hotel in Manhattan.  A.J. Callaway, host of entertainment show EXTRA served as emcee for the evening, with music from DJ Bernie & DJ Mel DeBarge. One of summer’s most anticipated New York nighttime events, BNP PARIBAS TASTE OF TENNIS gave gusts the chance to mingle with their favorite tennis stars and chefs while sampling an eclectic mix of specially-designed dishes that earned rave reviews each year.  Midway through the evening, the “doubles team” of Roddick and Hoffmann took center stage for an action-packed cooking demonstration.  The former US Open Champion, a self- professed novice in the kitchen, will take pointers from the star of the popular Food Network show “Simply Delicioso.” This year’s BNP PARIBAS TASTE OF TENNIS benefits FOOD BANK DOE 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 250,000free 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.