CITI NAMED TITLE SPONSOR OF INAUGURAL
WOMEN’S TENNIS ASSOCIATION (WTA) TOURNAMENT
“Citi Open” Debuts July 23 in the DC Metro Area
WASHINGTON, DC, June 22, 2011 – Citi and Lagardère Unlimited today announced that Citi has been named the title sponsor of the WTA International Level women’s professional tennis tournament coming to the Washington, D.C. metro area from July 23 to 31. Previously known as the Mid-Atlantic Women’s Tennis Championships, the tournament is now titled the “Citi Open” and will be played at the Tennis Center at College Park in College Park, Maryland.
“Citi is proud to be the inaugural sponsor of this significant new WTA tennis event, one that we anticipate will become a key stop on the women's tour,” said Dermot Boden, Chief Brand Officer of Citi. “This is a great addition to our sports sponsorship platform and gives us another opportunity to support women’s athletics.”
“Citi enjoys a long history with the D.C./Maryland area, having nearly 40 branches in the area, including our most recent ‘Smart Banking’ Flagship Branch opening today,” said Michelle Peluso, Global Chief Marketing Officer of Citibank. “We are excited to share this unique experience with our customers and tennis fans alike.”
“We are pleased that Citi has joined us as the title sponsor in the first year of this prestigious WTA International event. Having the support of such a prominent brand is critical to the success of this tournament and a great testament to the sport of tennis,” said Donald Dell, Chairman of the Citi Open and Group President of Lagardère Unlimited. “We look forward to building a successful partnership with Citi while establishing a great tradition of WTA tennis in the area.”
The Citi Open is a WTA International Level event, a designation for only one of three tournaments in the United States. The event will feature some of the world’s top female tennis players, representing a diverse range of nationalities. Players include top-25 ranked and premiere Israeli athlete, Shahar Peer; 2009 U.S. Open quarterfinalist, Melanie Oudin; six-time WTA singles titlist, Jelena Dokic; rising teenager and Florida native, Sloane Stephens; and more. The format will be single elimination, consisting of 32 main draw singles players, 16 main draw doubles teams and 32 qualifying singles players and offering $400,000 in total player compensation. The full player field will be announced shortly. The tournament will also be broadcast live nationally on the Tennis Channel during the semifinals and finals on July 30 and 31.
“Citi is one of the world’s strongest brands, and we are thrilled that they will be investing in the WTA’s new event in Washington, D.C.,” said Stacey Allaster, CEO of the WTA. “The Citi Open will bring some of the world’s best female athletes to the region, and having the support of Citi will ensure the tremendous success of the event for fans in the area and beyond.”
For more information about the Citi Open and tickets please visit www.citiopentennis.com or call the tournament hotline at 202-721-9500
About Citi
Citi, the leading global financial services company, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions. Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management. Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com.
About The Tennis Center at College Park
The Tennis Center at College Park is a USTA Regional Training Center, home of the Junior Tennis Champions Center training program, as well as the University of Maryland tennis teams. The Tennis Center at College Park is an award-winning facility and is recognized as one of the most comprehensive tennis venues in the United States. The venue hosts a QuickStart program for children ages 4-6 years old, summer camps, and programs for both juniors and adults. The facility is open year-round and boasts a total of 27 courts, a running track and fitness facility, a pro shop and spacious locker rooms with showers and saunas. The Tennis Center at College Park is located on 5200 Paint Branch Parkway, inside the Washington Beltway (I-495) and near the University of Maryland’s main campus in College Park. The venue is accessible by Metro on the Green line to College Park-Univ. of Md. Station. www.thetccp.com
About Lagardère Unlimited
Lagardère Unlimited represents some of the world's best athletes in Sports and Entertainment, including Tennis, Football, Basketball, Rugby, Sailing, Mixed Martial Arts, Fencing, Track and Field, Swimming, Motorsports, Cricket, Golf, Coaches, Living Legends and Entertainment. Lagardère Unlimited also works in the areas of broadcast rights, corporate marketing initiatives, and sports properties for sales/sponsorship opportunities. The company operates worldwide with offices in NY, LA, DC, Miami, Paris, and Singapore. Currently, Lagardère Unlimited represents some of the best sporting clients around the globe: including Andy Roddick, John Wall, Dwight Howard, Reggie Bush, Sachin Tendulkar, Joakim Noah, Sébastien Chabal, Gaël Monfils and Caroline Wozniacki.www.lagardere-unlimited.com
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