Emirates has extended its tournament sponsorship of the Australian Open – the first of the four Grand Slam events on the annual tennis calendar, taking place every January in Melbourne – for a further five years.
The newly-announced sponsorship deal will bring Emirates’ partnership – as the tournament’s Official Airline partner – up to 2029.
Emirates marked a decade as the Official Airline of the Australian Open this year, celebrating its ongoing commitment to Australia and support for local sporting events.
From 2025, the partnership will extend outside of the Australian Open to make a meaningful impact within local communities in need. Emirates and the Australian Tennis Foundation (ATF) have teamed up on an initiative funded by the airline’s ‘Force for Good’ programme.
Emirates will invest $2.25m over five years to inspire brighter futures for disadvantaged children and young people through tennis. The programme will launch in five key Australian cities, focusing on children and young people from underprivileged backgrounds who might otherwise miss the opportunity to engage with the sport.
Emirates’ Divisional Vice President Australasia, Barry Brown, said: “Our five-year renewal with Tennis Australia on top of an existing decade-long partnership is another demonstration of Emirates’ longstanding commitment to Australia, in line with almost three decades of service since our inaugural flight to Melbourne.
“We’re proud to work with Tennis Australia and connect incredible players to fans both globally and on the ground in Australia. The Australian Open is an event that sits at the cornerstone of Australia’s sporting calendar, and we are excited to provide fans with unique experiences for the next edition and in the years ahead.
“This year, our commitment extends beyond the court, with the ‘Force for Good’ programme, which will ensure that local communities have a range of opportunities to get on the court, as well as opening up the sport of tennis to many more people. It also means we will be able to provide education and skills to budding young tennis players, to not only help and inspire them, but also pave the way for future tennis stars in Australia.”
