Dubai-based airline company Emirates has reportedly signed a lucrative five-year deal to be the official partner of the Roland Garros tournament which takes place from May 26 to June 9 this year.
This developed was announced late last week by Emirates Airline President Tim Clark and French Tennis Federation President Jean Gachassin via a press conference conducted at the Roland Garros Stadium in Paris, France.
Emirates has been an active sponsor of the sport. It is a sponsor of the Italian Open and the Barcelona Open which takes place this week.
Other tennis events being sponsored by Emirates include the Rogers Cup, the BNP Paribas Open, the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship and the US Open. Emirates is the official airline of the ATP World Tour and is a prominent sponsor of the men’s rankings – dubbed as Emirates ATP rankings.
“Appropriately named after famed French aviation pioneer and tennis supporter, Roland Garros, this tournament is a natural extension of our existing tennis sponsorship portfolio,” Clark said.
“Watched by millions around the globe, this acclaimed clay-court championship is the perfect platform with which to align our brand. The global following for tennis is extensive. You don’t have to play tennis to be a fan of and appreciate the dedication needed to be one of the world’s best players,” he added.
French Tennis Federation President Gachassin said: “We are particularly delighted and also proud to welcome an international brand such as Emirates amongst our official partners.
“The arrival of Emirates fits in perfectly with our development and partnership strategy of aiming to expand our global reach. And, of course, what better association, between the French Open, which is named after Roland Garros a pioneer in the world of aviation, and one of the world’s foremost airlines.”
