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  • Jumbo Kiefer has a hit with trained elephants

    5/19/08 11:13 AM | Johan Lindahl
    Jumbo Kiefer has a hit with trained elephants German Nicolas Kiefer worked in a jumbo training session to polish off his preparations for the ARAG World team Cup as he had a light hit with a pair of elephants.

    The pair of trained Indian pachyderms were brought to the Rochus club venue for the eight-nation French Open warm-up by from home in northeast Germany.

    With racket clutched in their trunks, Timba, 29, and the 20-year-old Kenia “rallied” with the player knowns as Kiwi.

    Kiefer was able to lob balls to the elephants, who managed to actually get a racket on a few with their one-trunk style. After regular tennis balls, they switched to oversized models with more success.

    The animals, who have appeared in several movies, including the new release “Hannibal” with Brad Pitt, are more accustomed to kicking soccer balls, but were able to stand up to the job in tennis for the on-court promotional activity.

    “They ere definitely the strongest opponents I've ever had,' joked Kiefer.

    To wrap up the outing, Timba carried the player off the court on her tusks before walking ”home“ with her trainer to a nearby race course through the woods surrounding the club.

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