By Lauren Lynch

(March 23, 2011) So far ATP tennis players Novak Djokovic, Kei Nishikori, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, Fernando Verdasco, Richard Gasquet, Feliciano Lopez, Viktor Troicki, Marcos Baghdatis, David Ferrer, Jurgen Melzer, and Juan Monaco are throwing a soccer game (or football match as they would call it) to raise funds for the earthquake and tsunami victims in Japan on Wednesday, March 23 at Ransom Everglades High School against the Fort Lauderdale Strikers. It begins at 7pm and admission is free.

After playing on the pitch, the players are heading over after-party dinner fund raising party open to the public at the JW Marriott Marquis on the 19th Floor Tennis Arena at 8-11pm. Tickets are $350 to be donated for a cocktail hour, sit-down dinner, and silent auction. All proceeds go to the Red Cross and to buy tickets: http://www.gr8miami.com/event_info.html

It is great to see the players responses to such a catastrophic event and taking the time during a Masters event to raise money for a good cause.

Various players are keeping Japan in their thoughts on their clothes. In Indian Wells, Djokovic wore sayings on his knee brace and socks while Caroline Wozniacki held a Japanese flag with a message.

(To be updated later as Tennis Now will be LIVE at the events!)