If a nasty back injury hadn't sidelined him as a youth, Boris Kodjoe could be known today as a pro tennis player. He was considered one of the best juniors in his teen years.
But the 41-year-old former Atlanta-based actor whose credentials include "Love & Basketball" and "Soul Food" never lost his love for the sport and kept ties with many of the players. The result: a charity tennis event at Atlantic Station this Sunday during the BB&T Open.
He is bringing some pro buddies along for the exhibition including Donald Young, Jack Sock and Sam Querrey. V-103 morning host Ryan Cameron will emcee. It's free with registration at www.boriskodjoestennisnight.eventbrite.com.
He and his actress wife Nicole Ari Parker run a foundation called Sophie's Voice in honor of their daughter Sophie who was diagnosed with spina bifida at birth. Both will be there as well.
"Atlanta is so close to our hearts," said Kodjoe, who moved from Atlanta after five years to Manhattan Beach, Calif. in 2010 after he received a starring role in a short-lived NBC drama "Undercovers." "We love every minute of it. We've forged amazing relationships there. We come almost every month."
He has close ties with the USTA and was able to coordinate this event to help attract more African Americans to the sport. And given how popular tennis is in Atlanta, 'it was a no brainer for us to hold it there."
The two-hour program will feature music, wheelchair tennis exhibitions and Kodjoe himself playing doubles with some pros.
"I'm a serve and volley guy. I have good hands. I come in and poach a lot," he said. "It's all about the net in doubles!"
Kodjoe said he's very close to Boris Becker and Serena Williams "is like my little sister."
While tennis is now is avocation, acting remains his vocation. Earlier this year, he signed on to be part of the ensemble drama "Members Only" on ABC, which is set to debut early next year. He said it's a bit of an "upstairs/downstairs" dynamic between the staff and the members. He plays a former football player who finds out he's the token black guy at the elitist club and uses that status to demand extras.
ABC didn't even shoot a pilot for the show, created by Oscar nominated executive producer David O. Russell ("The Fighter," "Silver Linings Playbook," "American Hustle") and Savannah Grant (writer of "Erin Brockovich"). "It's a great concept," Kodjoe said. "I'm surprised it hadn't been done before. The class differences will play out. It's really smart social commentary."
A German native, Kodjoe is working on a documentary on two soccer playing brothers: German Jerome Boateng and Ghana's Kevin-Prince Boateng. No surprise Kodjoe is nuts for football - or what we call soccer. "Baseball is one thing I don't understand," he said. "Soccer is one of those universal things that are considered a religion in most countries."
His son Nicolas is into the same sports he was into when he was a child: soccer, tennis and basketball. His daughter Sophie is into the arts and dance. He doesn't pressure his kids into anything in particular. "You can't force them to eat," he said. "You can set the table as nice as you can."
Free event
Boris Kodjoe's Tennis Family Fun Night
6:30 p.m. Sunday, July 20
Grandstand at Atlantic Station, 1380 Atlantic Drive, NW, Atlanta
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