Before unleashing their repertoire of strokes on the tennis court, Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick polished their culinary skills at the Dacor Taste Of Tennis party in New York on Sunday.

The annual event, which marks the beginning of the US Open, is staged to raise money for City Harvest, a charity which collects excess food from shops and restaurants and then redistributes it to needy people around the city.

With help from chef Mario Batall (centre), they served up a delicious banquet and toasted their achievement with a sporty fist-five.

Russian glam girl Maria Sharapova, looking to win her first US Open, kept their spirits up with some cheering from the sidelines.

Agassi, who begins his farewell party at the Open on Monday, also participated in the Arthur Ashe Kids Day with wife Steffi Graf.

Photograph: Getty Images