updated 6:38 p.m. ET Sept. 1, 2005

NEW YORK - The tennis community is lining up to join in the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.

The U.S Tennis Association announced Thursday that it will donate $500,000 from U.S. Open proceeds to the American Red Cross for affected communities in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Commercials devoted to the relief effort will be aired during Open broadcasts, and public service announcements will be made on the grounds of the National Tennis Center. Fans attending the Open can make donations beginning Friday.

The two players associations — the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour and ATP — said their members are donating autographed tennis equipment, apparel and memorabilia for an auction to aid victims of the disaster. Players who already have committed to supporting the relief efforts include Andy Roddick, Maria Sharapova, Andre Agassi, Lindsay Davenport, Robby Ginepri, Justine Henin-Hardenne, Donald Young, Amelie Mauresmo, and Bob and Mike Bryan.

“It’s a tragedy, it’s terrible,” Agassi said. “I hope there’s something I can do. I’ll be a part of anything that might make a difference.”

Serena Williams has promised to donate $100 for every ace she serves for the rest of the year to help the relief effort in New Orleans following the devastation wreaked by Katrina.

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The 23-year-old former world No. 1 made the announcement after beating Catalina Castano of Colombia 6-2 6-2 on Wednesday to reach the third round of the U.S. Open.

“I would like to thank everyone for coming out,” she told the crowd. “I was just thinking about the hurricane. It’s been such a tragedy down there. I decided for every ace I hit I am going to donate 100 dollars for the rest of the year, every tournament I play.”

Katrina has claimed more than 200 lives, left tens of thousands of people homeless and caused billions of dollars in damage since slamming into the U.S. Gulf Coast on Monday.

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