The ITF announced today that it has renewed its sponsorship agreement with NEC Corporation as title sponsor of the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters and as an Official Partner of the ITF Wheelchair Tennis Tour for 2014.
NEC has been a sponsor of the ITF Wheelchair Tennis Tour since its inception in 1992, and last month celebrated 20 years as title sponsor of the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters, the ITF’s year-end wheelchair championship. This year’s Masters was held in Mission Viejo, California on November 5-11.
The 2014 NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters will be held in Great Britain for the first time at Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, venue of the London 2012 Paralympic Tennis Event, on November 24-30. The event will be hosted by the Tennis Foundation.
The ITF Wheelchair Tennis Tour originated in 1992 with 11 international tournaments, but has grown to its current total of over 160 tournaments in more than 40 countries offering over $1.5 million in prize money. The Tour includes the wheelchair tennis events at all four Grand Slam tournaments. The NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters was started in 1994 as the official year-end singles championship for the sport’s leading players, and currently features the top eight men and women, and top four quad athletes.
ITF President Francesco Ricci Bitti said: “We are grateful for the ongoing support of the NEC Corporation, which has been a dedicated and enthusiastic partner of the ITF’s wheelchair tennis activities. Wheelchair tennis has become one of the fastest growing Paralympic sports, culminating in the success of London 2012, and we delighted that next year’s NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters will become one of the first events to return to the Olympic Park.”
Tsuyoshi Horinouchi, General Manager, CSR and Environmental Management Promotion Division, NEC Corporation, said: “The NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters features the sport’s most talented athletes competing against one another at the top of their game. NEC is proud to continue its support of these exciting events that enable athletes from all over the world to showcase their skills.”
Topics: 10sballs, Itf, Nec, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News, Wheelchair Tennis Masters