The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) has announced that Dubai Duty Free, the world’s leading airport retailer, has extended its longstanding global sponsorship of women’s tennis for its 15th year.
Dubai Duty Free continues as one of the WTA’s premier sponsors, with the partnership’s core elements designed to align Dubai Duty Free with WTA’s premium assets, allowing the world-leading retailer to increase its reach through a newly expanded ambassador program, new high-profile event experiences and custom headlining exposure for its most prestigious events.
Reigning Australian Open champion and former WTA World No.1 Caroline Wozniacki will continue her support as a Dubai Duty Free Player Ambassador for the seventh year, and will be joined by reigning World No.1 Simona Halep along with two-time Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships winner Elina Svitolina.
“It’s an honor to represent Dubai Duty Free as a brand ambassador,” said WTA World No.1 Simona Halep. “I have many memories at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, especially winning the title in 2015, but also all of the experiences I have been part of due to Dubai Duty Free’s love for women’s tennis. I’m excited to be part of this great partnership.”
Dubai Duty Free will host a special ‘Women That Achieve Power Lunch,’ an exclusive gathering of tennis industry’s most influential females, media and WTA partners on June 28 as part of WTA’s newly introduced ‘WTA Tennis on the Thames’ event. They will also support the event’s fan activities, including a unique WTA art installation of historical player achievements, exclusive player appearances, mini-tennis competitions, prizes and more, wtatennis.com informs.
Additionally, the agreement continues Dubai Duty Free’s sponsorship of the WTA Year-End World No.1 singles and doubles awards, most recently presented to Simona Halep for singles and the former doubles team of Martina Hingis and Latisha Chan at the 2017 BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global.
A WTA sponsor since 2004, Dubai Duty Free’s partnership with the WTA has over the years been marked by leadership and innovation. Dubai Duty Free has been a longstanding supporter of the WTA, having been the first event in the Middle East to award equal prize money and a strong supporter of the growth of women’s tennis throughout the region. Dubai Duty Free is the owner, organizer and title sponsor of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, an equal prize money Premier tournament on the WTA calendar and a cornerstone event for women’s and men’s tennis in the Middle East.
Past winners of the tournament include all three of this year’s ambassadors – Simona Halep in 2015, Elina Svitolina in 2017 and 2018, and Caroline Wozniacki in 2011 – in addition to several former WTA World No.1s including Lindsay Davenport, Martina Hingis, Justine Henin, Amélie Mauresmo and Venus Williams.