Sony Ericsson Sponsors Tennis Masters Cup

Sony Ericsson today announces the signing of a three-year agreement to become the official mobile phone of the Tennis Masters Cup, Shanghai. The Tennis Masters Cup takes place for the second year running at Qi Zhong Stadium, Shanghai from 12-19 November 2006.

Sony Ericsson has exclusive worldwide rights as ‘Official Mobile Phone of the Tennis Masters Cup’ and will enjoy prominent on-court brand presence, on-screen score graphics during all national and international broadcasts, global promotional rights and top level hospitality and tickets at the men’s season-ending finale.

The Tennis Masters Cup is the culmination of the men’s professional tennis year where the top eight players, and the world’s best doubles teams, battle it out to be the best of the best. Roger Federer, who was runner-up last year to David Nalbandian, and Rafael Nadal already have booked their places at the 2006 Tennis Masters Cup with the remaining six singles places being closely contested by the ATP’s top players. Doubles teams Bob and Mike Bryan, Jonas Bjorkman and Max Mirnyi, Paul Hanley and Kevin Ullyett, Mark Knowles and Daniel Nestor, and Martin Damm and Leander Paes all have qualified for the doubles tournament.

Gunilla Nordström, President of Sony Ericsson China, said: “This demonstrates Sony Ericsson’s commitment to the Chinese market as Shanghai and tennis will continue to host this major sporting event until at least 2008. This is another significant step in our global tennis sponsorship strategy and means that we now have landmark tennis events in three major regions: the Sony Ericsson Open, Miami for the Americas; the Sony Ericsson Championships, Madrid in Europe and now the Tennis Masters Cup in Asia."

Nordstrom added: “We would like to take this opportunity to express our thanks for the China Open’s partnership with the ATP, the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour and Sony Ericsson, which has provided a solid tennis platform in China."

“Sony Ericsson is one of the world’s most exciting brands and we are very proud they have chosen to become a partner of the Tennis Masters Cup, said Brad Drewett, Tennis Masters Cup Shanghai Tournament Director. “Sony Ericsson joins a very prestigious list of top international and Chinese companies as Premier sponsors of the event. Sponsors recognize the many benefits of supporting the Masters Cup, which is one of the largest annual sporting events in China and has developed an enormous public following there."

Sony Ericsson is one of 12 Tennis Masters Cup Shanghai Premier Sponsors, which includes Citigroup, Lacoste, South African Airways, Indesit, Rado, China Mobile, Shui On Land, Haworth Furniture, China Pacific Insurance, China Union Pay and Shanghai Petro. Heineken is the event’s Founding Sponsor and Mercedes-Benz is Principal Sponsor. www.masters-cup.com  www.SonyEricsson.com