Dubai - Arab Today
Dubai Duty Free announced an important new sponsor of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships yesterday, with international US based bank J.P. Morgan signing a strategic sponsorship agreement to become the "Exclusive Bank Sponsor"- in the Wholesale Banking category.
The agreement will see J.P. Morgan supporting a range of programmes and initiatives which focus on building a strong legacy in the community through the tournament, which began in 1993 and regularly attracts the top tennis players in the world.
Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman of Dubai Duty Free said, " We are delighted to announce J.P. Morgan as a new and significant sponsor of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. J.P. Morgan has a proud history of supporting a variety of major events and community initiatives around the world, and we look forward to developing this valued partnership over the coming years.
"We're pleased to support the event as further testament of the firm's commitment to this vibrant community" says Sjoerd Leenart, Senior Country Officer for J.P. Morgan Middle East, Turkey and Africa.
Among the programmes to be supported by J.P. Morgan are the immensely popular WTA and ATP Kids' Days, which are a key element of the community outreach activities associated with the event. The Kids' Days are held on the first day of competition each week during the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, and see thousands of children from schools in the UAE and the region participate in an engaging and interactive tennis clinic, and meet top ranked players.
J.P. Morgan will also be working with Dubai Duty Free on other grassroots and community related initiatives to develop talented local players in the region, and to provide opportunities for aspiring future champions to improve their skills.
The 2015 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships begins with the WTA event, which takes place between 15th and 21st February and features world number one Serena Williams, defending champion Venus Williams, former winners Petra Kvitova, Caroline Wozniacki and Agnieszka Radwanska, and former world number one Ana Ivanovic. Play then continues between 23rd and 28th February with the action-packed ATP tournament featuring world number one Novak Djokovic, defending champion Roger Federer, and previous finalists Andy Murray and Tomas Berdych.
The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships is owned and organised by Dubai Duty Free, and held under the patronage of Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
Source: WAM