The Australian Open and Dunlop have announced a renewal of their partnership with Dunlop to continue as the Official Ball Partner of the Australian Open, Australian Summer of Tennis and Tennis Australia for the next five years.
Throughout AO 2023 Dunlop has celebrated 100 years in tennis with fan activations on-site, a celebratory logo and appearances and fan opportunities with Dunlop Ambassador, the legendary Rod Laver.
“We are delighted to extend our partnership with Dunlop for a further five years. Dunlop and Tennis Australia share a deep commitment to innovation and quality, and we look forward to ongoing collaboration to support tennis throughout Australia at all levels. Dunlop is a vital and highly dedicated member of the tennis family and continues to be a major contributor to the success of our great sport,” Tennis Australia’s CEO Craig Tiley said.
Mr Satoru Yamamoto, President and CEO, Representative Director of Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd., said, “I am very pleased to announce this contract renewal with the Australian Open. Dunlop celebrates its 100-year anniversary in the tennis business in 2023, since our first production of tennis balls in the United Kingdom. It is a great honour to be able to announce this news in such a historic and memorable year for Dunlop.
“For the past five years since we first signed with the Australian Open in 2019, Dunlop has been dedicated to research and development and listening to player feedback to ensure the very best for the Australian Open and the sport of tennis which gives us all such joy. With Dunlop’s celebration of 100 years, we hope to accelerate our joint initiatives and continue to grow our great partnership even more.”
As part of Dunlop’s 100-year celebrations at AO 2023, a Dunlop100 Golden Ball NFT has been minted as part of the AO 2023 ArtBall NFT collection. This one-of-a-kind AO ArtBall features the Dunlop100 logo, unique golden colour and digital signature from Rod Laver. The lucky owner of the Dunlop100 Golden Ball will also benefit from AO tickets, a photo with the champion trophies at the AO, and Dunlop products.
In the AO Tennis Club, fans can win tickets to the AO Finals by jumping into the Dunlop100 Ball Pit and guessing how many balls there are. They can also pose for a photo at the fan favourite Dunlop100 Ball Cave at Show Court Three. Fans can purchase AO balls and jumbo balls from the AO Shop on-site and online.
The Dunlop Road to the Australian Open took place in Japan in November, with junior players from across the Asia Pacific region competing for a coveted wildcard entry into the Australian Open Junior Championships.
Dunlop provides the Official Ball for the Australian Open and all the lead-in events across the Summer of Tennis including the United Cup, Adelaide International and Hobart International. Through its partnership with Tennis Australia, Dunlop also supports grassroots tennis programs across the country, including the provision of Dunlop low compression balls for the key development program Tennis Hot Shots, and regular balls for Cardio Tennis and tennis pathways.