Monetary Donations Collected from the Two Tours And Tournaments Along with Proceeds from Player Memorabilia Auction to Support Relief Efforts
PARIS, June 5 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- The Sony Ericsson WTA Tour and ATP are combining forces to assist in relief efforts benefitting victims of the recent earthquake tragedy in Sichuan Province, China. A three-pronged approach will be implemented, including: 1) Monetary donation collected from tournament members and both the ATP and Sony Ericsson WTA Tour; 2) Online auction of signed player memorabilia; and 3) Videotaped player messages of hope and inspiration aired in China.
Several tournaments across the ATP and Sony Ericsson WTA Tour have pledge monetary donations, with the two Tour's committed to match tournament contributions.
A player memorabilia auction is currently taking place on the two Tours' websites at http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com and http://www.atptennis.com, with all proceeds benefiting a primary relief organization in China. Fans can bid on noteworthy items such as a signed tennis shirt from Novak Djokovic, Jelena Jankovic's signed dress she wore during her title win at the 2008 Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome, a signed tennis ball from World No.1 Maria Sharapova following her win at the 2006 US Open, along with pledged items from Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams and Ana Ivanovic, to name a few. A constant stream of items will be up for auction throughout the Roland Garros fortnight, including timeless memorabilia signed by the men's and women's eventual champions.
All proceeds fostered from both of these donation efforts will go towards the China Charity Federation (CCF), an organization which delivers much needed assistance at the scene of natural disasters. Among its many directives, the CCF is committed to providing medical equipment and supplies, caring for orphans and the elderly, working to alleviate the suffering and helping the victims rebuild their lives.
Larry Scott, CEO of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour remarked, "The Sony Ericsson WTA Tour and our members are committed to supporting the earthquake relief efforts as we recognize the long-term effects of this tragedy. Our efforts are designed to bring aid to those in need and assist in the healing and rebuilding of those lives and families that have been affected."
Etienne de Villiers, ATP Executive Chairman said, "I want to thank all those ATP players, tournaments and fans who have supported our efforts to raise funds for those affected by this disaster. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those who have been affected by these tragic events in China."
In addition to the financial efforts listed above, several players have recorded videotaped messages of hope, encouragement and support that are currently being aired on Chinese national television, CCTV. Roger Federer recorded such a message along with top Chinese players Peng Shuai, Sun Tiantian, Zheng Jie and Yan Zi.
About ATP
With 63 tournaments in 30 countries, the ATP showcases the finest athletes competing in the world's most exciting venues. From Australia to Europe and the Americas to Asia, the stars of the South African Airways ATP Rankings and the top tandems in the Stanford ATP Doubles Race contend for prestigious titles at ATP Masters Series and other ATP tournaments. The season's top eight singles players and doubles teams earn coveted berths at the elite Tennis Masters Cup, the circuit-ending championship held in China. For more information, please visit http://www.ATPtennis.com & http://www.masters-cup.com .
About Sony Ericsson WTA Tour
The Sony Ericsson WTA Tour is the world's largest premier professional sport for women with more than 2,000 players representing 90 nations competing for $70.8 million in prize money at the Tour's 60 events in 34 countries. More than 4.7 million people attended women's tennis events in 2007 with millions more watching events on television networks around the world. The Sony Ericsson WTA Tour season concludes with the Sony Ericsson Championships -- Doha 2008 in Doha, Qatar, November 4-9, 2008. Further information on the Tour can be found on the Internet at http://www.sonyericssonwtatour.com .
