Doha, 02 January 2010 – Qatar National Bank (QNB) and the Qatar Tennis Federation (QTF) signed a sponsorship agreement confirming QNB as the Official Bank of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open Tennis Championships which is being held in Doha from 4-9 January 2010 at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash complex, located in the Dafna area of Doha.
The announcement was made at a press conference and signing ceremony held on Saturday, 2 January 2009, at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash complex.
The ceremony was attended by Mr. Hamad Al Nuaimi, Assistant General Manager, Group Communications, QNB, and Mr. Nasser Ghanim Al Khelaifi, President of the QTF.
32 of the world’s top tennis players will participate in the Qatar Exxonmobil Open. Some of the top stars who have confirmed attendance include reigning ATP World Tour Champion Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, last year’s runner-up in the ATP World Tour.
The lineup also includes, among other headliners, Russian Nikolay Davydenko who won the coveted ATP World Tour Finals in 2009, and France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, ranked tenth in the world, both of whom ended last season in great form.
Mr. Al Nuaimi said during the press conference that the bank was extremely pleased to be supporting this great global sport and this tournament for the 17th consecutive year.
Sport is an integral part of QNB’s comprehensive Corporate Social Responsibility program and sponsorship of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open is an extension of the Bank’s commitment to the community.
Mr. Al Nuaimi said tennis is one of the most widely followed sports and enjoys huge popularity in Qatar as well as attracts the world’s top players to Doha. He said that QNB will strive to fulfill its role as a key sponsor of the tournament with the aim of promoting Qatar’s sporting profile and the country’s ability to successfully host such world-class sporting events.
QNB will be very active during the tournament and will invite many VIPs to watch the matches, as well as many of the Bank’s senior executives and other staff members who will all contribute to supporting the progress of this high-profile tournament.
In addition to welcoming all fans to Doha, the tournament is anticipating the arrival of the world’s top stars who will be vying for top honors.
QNB will host a hospitality tent for VIPs and the players, as well as have a recreational pavilion at the venue featuring activities and competitions for children and families. In addition, the Bank will also set up a mobile banking unit at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash complex, offering banking services to all visitors.
The QNB and the QTF have a strong working relationship which extends from the inception of this tournament. QNB’s sponsorship of sporting events is focused on promoting major sporting events to raise Qatar’s profile internationally.
QNB and the QTF have been working in parallel for the best part of the past two decades to promote the sport of tennis, and during this period, this tournament has gained international recognition as one of the premier tennis attractions in the world today.