NEC extends wheelchair tennis sponsorship until 2023

Fri, 01/29/2021 - 12:00

The International Tennis Federation has announced that wheelchair tennis’ longest standing sponsor, NEC, will continue as title sponsor of the NEC Wheelchair Singles Masters and as an international sponsor of several UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour events for a further three years, from 2021 to 2023.

This marks the 30th year of NEC’s sponsorship of the sport which was a catalyst for the creation in 1992 of the ITF Wheelchair Tennis Tour, of which it was title sponsor until 2013. This was followed by the launch in 1994 of the NEC Wheelchair Tennis Masters as the tour’s year-end showcase.

Since then, wheelchair tennis has become one of the fastest growing wheelchair sports in the world, both in size and popularity, a full medal Paralympic sport, and has a professional tour which in 2019 hosted over 150 tournaments around the world offering over $3million in prize money.

David Haggerty, ITF President, said: “There is no doubt that wheelchair tennis would not be where it is today without the involvement of NEC whose commitment to the development of the sport has always gone well beyond their financial contribution.

“On behalf of the ITF and wheelchair tennis, I would like to express our ongoing gratitude and we look forward to continuing this longstanding and successful partnership.”

Makoto Enomoto, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, NEC Corporation, said: “We are proud and privileged to have sponsored wheelchair tennis as we share the same passion for excellence by overcoming challenges and bringing people around the globe closer together.

“NEC has been a part of the wheelchair tennis community for 30 years since the sport's early development, and we look forward to continuing our involvement well into the future.”