US Open Tennis championship draw held at UN Headquarters

The universal appeal of tennis is felt most at the local level, where its impact on rich and poor communities alike can be seen in youngsters developing physical fitness and character, Secretary-General Kofi Annan said in a message today to a ceremony at the United Nations Headquarters in New York to determine the singles pairings for this year's United States Open Tennis Championship.

"There are few sports which are played and loved so widely," the Secretary-General said in a message delivered on his behalf by Shashi Tharoor, UN Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information. Players from 61 countries are expected to take part in this year's US Open, which will be televised in 165 countries.

"Communities in rich and poor countries alike are directly touched by the game," the message said. "Young people, whether they dream of winning the Grand Slam or of finding their way out of poverty, find in tennis, as in other sports, an important focus of physical fitness and development of character."

UN Messenger of Peace and tennis player Vijay Amritraj of India attended the ceremony.