Tennis’s biggest names thrilled a sell-out crowd of 15,000 yesterday in an entertaining “Rally for Relief” to raise money for Australia’s devastating floods.

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal led a parade of leading men’s and women’s players for the comedy hit-out, in which they mocked other’s grunts and played shots between their legs.

Lleyton Hewitt’s two-year-old son, Cruz, made a brief and tearful appearance and Novak Djokovic played volleys while sitting down during the crowd-pleasing performance, which precedes the Australian Open.

Federer was moved to organise the event after learning that Rockhampton, home of his idol Rod Laver, was under water in a disaster which has claimed 17 lives in the past week alone.

“When I saw it hit the city of Rockhampton, I right away thought of Rod Laver,” he said. “I tried to reach out to him and see if he wanted to do anything, if he needed my help.”

As the disaster shifted to Victoria state, where the Open will start in Melbourne today, Australia’s fifth seed Sam Stosur said it was important for professional players to keep a sense of perspective.

“We’re lucky to do what we do. We love what we do. But there’s far greater things going on in the world,” she said. “So if we can all come together and support something like these floods, I think it’s great.”

The sports world has rallied round victims of the floods disaster with Australian cricket great Shane Warne trying to organise a charity Twenty20 game.

England’s cricketers have also donated a slice of their match fees and star batsman Kevin Pietersen is auctioning bats and shirts he used in the recent Ashes series.

Cycling stars at the Tour Down Under have also agreed to donate their prize money to victims of the devastating floods.