Lorde sang about the "Tennis Court," but Elton John is upping the ante.
On Thursday, Sir Elton and tennis legend Billie Jean King announced that they will co-host a tennis match at London's Royal Albert Hall on Dec. 7.
According to the AP, the duo's annual event -- World Team Tennis Smash Hits -- will benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation and feature former No. 1 ranked players Kim Clijsters and John McEnroe, along with 2013 Wimbledon runner-up Sabine Lisicki.
Tennis is John's favorite sport, according to his official website. In 1999, he played an exclusive 45-minute set at Hall of Famer Pete Sampras' wedding, and tennis is "the only sport to have provided direct inspiration for an Elton John song." That track? "Philadelphia Freedom," which took its name from King's former tennis team.
World Team Tennis Smash Hits has raised $12 million since 1993, and will be held on the final night of the Masters Tournament.
The event raised $700,000 in Orlando, Fla., last year, according to the World Team Tennis website. Before the match, last year's event also featured a live auction in which "Team Elton" was responsible for $126,000 of the $212,000 raised. Former event participants include Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, Venus Williams and several other tennis legends.
On July 31, Smokey Robinson released a duet version of "Tracks of My Tears" featuring John that will appear on Robinson's Smokey & Friends. The album - which also features duets with John Legend, Mary J. Blige, Steven Tyler, Cee Lo Green, James Taylor and Miguel - will be released August 19.
"I've always loved that song," John said. "Probably one of the best lyrics of all time ... maybe the best pop song ever written."
