Sharapova To Star In Our Mondial Australian Woman's Hardcourts
Premier Peter Beattie today served up three straight sets of winning news guaranteeing the future success of Gold Coast's Australian Women's Hardcourts.
"I am pleased to announce that Maria Sharapova - who this coming Monday claims the World No.1 ranking - will headline the 2006 women's tournament," said the Premier and Minister for Sport.
"I am also pleased to welcome a new naming rights sponsor to the event - global assistance provider Mondial," Mr Beattie said.
Adding power to an already impressive serve of news, the Premier also announced the Queensland Government, through Queensland Events, would extend its support of the Mondial Australian Women's Hardcourts for another three years (2006-2008).
"No matter which international women's player comes off triumphant at the 2006 tournament, with these announcements we've already scored a definite win for the Smart State," the Premier said.
In welcoming Maria Sharapova's decision to play the tournament, the Premier also congratulated the new naming rights sponsor for the 2006 tournament - Mondial - on its decision to partner with Tennis Australia in the popular women's event.
"This tournament is renowned among players as one of the best on the worldwide tour, and it is fantastic to see it carrying the name of an international company which in 2004 chose to base its Australian operations here in Queensland," the Premier said.
The global leader in medical assistance and travel insurance, as well as offering roadside assistance and student health cover, Mondial has signed a three-year sponsorship deal to take over the naming rights to the Mondial Australian women's tournament.
Mondial managing director, Peter Edwards, said the Mondial Assistance global network handling an assistance incident every three seconds, nearly 39 million calls last year, and with their Australian headquarters based in Queensland, viewed the support of one of Queensland's major events as an exciting opportunity.
"We are excited at the prospect of being so closely aligned to an event that attracts the likes of Maria Sharapova and is followed by thousands of Australians. The Queensland Government's renewed commitment to the Mondial Australian Women's Hardcourts is especially welcome news on the day we announce our sponsorship," said Mondial managing director, Peter Edwards.
Former Wimbledon champion Sharapova has in her brief career racked up an impressive number of titles and accolades including the 2004 Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Player of the Year Award. When the new rankings come out on Monday 22 August and she overtakes Lindsay Davenport on points, Sharapova will become the new World No.1. Sharapova's next scheduled event is the US Open, where she is expected to be seeded No.1 at a Grand Slam for the first time.
Steve Wood, the new CEO of Tennis Australia said the combination of the major drawcard, Sharapova with a new naming rights sponsor, and continued government support, was a winning formula for the 2006 tournament. "This fantastic news is due in no small part to the incredible dedication and investment from the event's major supporters including the Queensland Government through Queensland Events Corporation, Gold Coast City Council, Royal Pines Resort and Gold Coast Tourism," Wood said.
"As the opening event of the WTA Tour and a great first step on the road to the Australian Open for all the top name players taking part, the Mondial Australian Women's Hardcourts promises to be a treat for fans and players alike in 2006," he said.
The Gold Coast tournament has been very successful in attracting big name players including former World No.1's Justine Henin-Hardenne and Venus Williams, Grand Slam legend Martina Navratilova and Anna Kournikova. Its popularity was further evidenced in 2003 when the event became the first Australian tournament to win the players' vote as WTA Tournament of the Year (Tier lll to V).
2005 saw one of the hottest fields ever assembled for a Tier III event with six of the world's top 20 and four former tournament winners including two-time champion Ai Sugiyama and rising Russians Nadia Petrova and Dinara Safina.
Despite the strength of the field, it was local star and Australian No.2 Sam Stosur who very nearly took the honours, just narrowly losing in the final to Swiss star and 1999 champion Patty Schnyder.
The Premier congratulated Tournament Director, Liz Smylie, on her ongoing role in securing the cream of women's tennis for the Gold Coast.
"Securing Sharapova is a fantastic achievement on Tennis Australia's part, in particular Liz Smylie who works tirelessly to attract so many of the top female players to the Gold Coast each year.
"I look forward to the seeing the Gold Coast's spectacular weather, facilities and enthusiastic fans shown off to tennis-lovers around the globe in January."
2006 Mondial Assistance Australian Women's Hardcourts will take place at the Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast from 1-7 January 2006.
Media Contact: Premier's Office (07) 3224 4500
Queensland Events: Sharyn Sawyer (07) 3222 1028 or 0419 509 509
"I am pleased to announce that Maria Sharapova - who this coming Monday claims the World No.1 ranking - will headline the 2006 women's tournament," said the Premier and Minister for Sport.
"I am also pleased to welcome a new naming rights sponsor to the event - global assistance provider Mondial," Mr Beattie said.
Adding power to an already impressive serve of news, the Premier also announced the Queensland Government, through Queensland Events, would extend its support of the Mondial Australian Women's Hardcourts for another three years (2006-2008).
"No matter which international women's player comes off triumphant at the 2006 tournament, with these announcements we've already scored a definite win for the Smart State," the Premier said.
In welcoming Maria Sharapova's decision to play the tournament, the Premier also congratulated the new naming rights sponsor for the 2006 tournament - Mondial - on its decision to partner with Tennis Australia in the popular women's event.
"This tournament is renowned among players as one of the best on the worldwide tour, and it is fantastic to see it carrying the name of an international company which in 2004 chose to base its Australian operations here in Queensland," the Premier said.
The global leader in medical assistance and travel insurance, as well as offering roadside assistance and student health cover, Mondial has signed a three-year sponsorship deal to take over the naming rights to the Mondial Australian women's tournament.
Mondial managing director, Peter Edwards, said the Mondial Assistance global network handling an assistance incident every three seconds, nearly 39 million calls last year, and with their Australian headquarters based in Queensland, viewed the support of one of Queensland's major events as an exciting opportunity.
"We are excited at the prospect of being so closely aligned to an event that attracts the likes of Maria Sharapova and is followed by thousands of Australians. The Queensland Government's renewed commitment to the Mondial Australian Women's Hardcourts is especially welcome news on the day we announce our sponsorship," said Mondial managing director, Peter Edwards.
Former Wimbledon champion Sharapova has in her brief career racked up an impressive number of titles and accolades including the 2004 Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Player of the Year Award. When the new rankings come out on Monday 22 August and she overtakes Lindsay Davenport on points, Sharapova will become the new World No.1. Sharapova's next scheduled event is the US Open, where she is expected to be seeded No.1 at a Grand Slam for the first time.
Steve Wood, the new CEO of Tennis Australia said the combination of the major drawcard, Sharapova with a new naming rights sponsor, and continued government support, was a winning formula for the 2006 tournament. "This fantastic news is due in no small part to the incredible dedication and investment from the event's major supporters including the Queensland Government through Queensland Events Corporation, Gold Coast City Council, Royal Pines Resort and Gold Coast Tourism," Wood said.
"As the opening event of the WTA Tour and a great first step on the road to the Australian Open for all the top name players taking part, the Mondial Australian Women's Hardcourts promises to be a treat for fans and players alike in 2006," he said.
The Gold Coast tournament has been very successful in attracting big name players including former World No.1's Justine Henin-Hardenne and Venus Williams, Grand Slam legend Martina Navratilova and Anna Kournikova. Its popularity was further evidenced in 2003 when the event became the first Australian tournament to win the players' vote as WTA Tournament of the Year (Tier lll to V).
2005 saw one of the hottest fields ever assembled for a Tier III event with six of the world's top 20 and four former tournament winners including two-time champion Ai Sugiyama and rising Russians Nadia Petrova and Dinara Safina.
Despite the strength of the field, it was local star and Australian No.2 Sam Stosur who very nearly took the honours, just narrowly losing in the final to Swiss star and 1999 champion Patty Schnyder.
The Premier congratulated Tournament Director, Liz Smylie, on her ongoing role in securing the cream of women's tennis for the Gold Coast.
"Securing Sharapova is a fantastic achievement on Tennis Australia's part, in particular Liz Smylie who works tirelessly to attract so many of the top female players to the Gold Coast each year.
"I look forward to the seeing the Gold Coast's spectacular weather, facilities and enthusiastic fans shown off to tennis-lovers around the globe in January."
2006 Mondial Assistance Australian Women's Hardcourts will take place at the Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast from 1-7 January 2006.
Media Contact: Premier's Office (07) 3224 4500
Queensland Events: Sharyn Sawyer (07) 3222 1028 or 0419 509 509