Dubai Duty Free To Be Presenting Sponsor Of Pre-Wimbledon Party

News ReleaseThursday, June 21, 2012WTA ANNOUNCES DUBAI DUTY FREE AS PRESENTINGSPONSOR OF PRE-WIMBLEDON CELEBRATIONDubai Duty Free, the world's leading airport retailer, extends itstennis legacy by headlining the sport's top partyLONDON, UK – Prior to the 126th Championships, the WTA (Women’s Tennis Association)announced Dubai Duty Free as the presenting sponsor of its 9th annual Pre-Wimbledonparty. The tennis party of the year which brings together cultural influencers from theworlds of entertainment, fashion and sport, will once again be held at The Roof Gardens inLondon, on June 21, 2012.The WTA is the globalleader in women’sprofessional sport withmore than 2,500players representing92 nations competingfor a record $96 millionin prize money at theWTA’s 52 events andfour Grand Slams in 32countries. More than5.2 million peopleattended women’stennis events in 2011with millions morewatching on televisionand digital channelsaround the world. The2012 WTA competitiveseason concludes withthe TEB BNP ParibasWTA Championshipsin Istanbul, Turkey,October 23-28, and theTournament ofChampions in Sofia,Bulgaria, October 30-November 3. Furtherinformation on theWTA can be found onwww.wtatennis.com.WTA100 Second AvenueSouth, Suite 1100-SSt. Petersburg, FL 33701USATEL +1 727 895 5000FAX +1 727 894 1982www.wtatennis.comDubai Duty Free joins the star-studded kick-off event co-hosted by the WTA and SirRichard Branson. The party is one of the most anticipated events of the fortnight, andattracts the world’s best female tennis players and a host of celebrities. Previous attendeeshave included Kate Middleton, Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer, Kelly Rowland andMichelle Williams. For the second year, in partnership with the British Fashion Council,leading British fashion designers will dress many of the WTA’s biggest stars, includingAntonio Berardi (Maria Sharapova); Burberry (Serena Williams); Alexander McQueen (PetraKvitova); Mulberry (Agnieszka Radwanska); Stella McCartney (Caroline Wozniacki);Matthew Williamson (Ana Ivanovic); and Giles Deacon (Li Na).As presenting partner of the WTA’s Pre-Wimbledon Party, Dubai Duty Free has inspiredthe event's theme and decor, bringing the best of the Middle East to West London.Expected to attend are Dubai Duty Free Ambassadors and former World No.1s CarolineWozniacki and Ana Ivanovic."Dubai Duty Free continues to be a leader in their support of tennis," said CarolineWozniacki, former winner of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. "Now as anambassador, I have witnessed, first-hand, how they are positively promoting and growingthe game."Commenting on their involvement with this year’s pre-Wimbledon party, Dubai DutyFree’s Executive Vice Chairman, Colm McLoughlin noted, “We are delighted to be thepresenting sponsor for this special evening. The WTA have built this event into a majorsocial gathering that attracts the top players, officials, celebrities and media, prior to thestart of Wimbledon and we are happy to bring a new dimension to the evening. One ofthe guests will have the chance to win a trip to the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championshipsnext February, so they can see our tournament first hand.”"Dubai Duty Free has been a loyal partner to the WTA for many years and I am thrilled tohave them join our annual Pre-Wimbledon Party that celebrates women's tennis andshowcases the cultural impact of our sport," said Stacey Allaster, Chairman and CEO of theWTA.

Dubai Duty Free is the owner, organizer and title sponsor of the Dubai Duty Free TennisChampionships, an equal prize money Premier tournament on the WTA calendar and acornerstone event for women’s and men’s tennis in the Middle East. Dubai Duty Free hasbeen a longstanding advocate of the WTA, ensuring the Dubai Duty Free TennisChampionships were the first in the Middle East to award equal prize money andsupporting the growth of women’s tennis throughout the region. A WTA sponsor since2004, Dubai Duty Free’s partnership has aligned the brand with the WTA's premium assetsand has been marked by leadership and innovation.MEDIA CONTACT:Eloise Tyson, +44.79189.38927, etyson@wtatennis.com