Bols Kyndal to Host Exclusive Player Party in Chennai on Jan. 2

Report by Santanu Ganguly, Chennai: The organizers of the Aircel Chennai Open announced that the tournament had extended its association with Bols Kyndal, a joint venture between Amsterdam based Lucas BOLS BV and Kyndal India Pvt. Ltd. as 'Official Sponsor'. This will be the third year of the tournament's association with the leading brand.

The 19th edition of India and South Asia's only ATP World Tour event will be held at Chennai's SDAT Stadium from December 30th 2013 to January 5th 2014. The player field for the 2014 tournament will see an impressive line-up of both Indian and international players that include a strong player field with four from the world top 30. Tennis fans in Chennai can certainly expect some great competition and solid tennis action.

In its capacity as an official sponsor, Bols Kyndal will continue to host the official Player Party of the tournament, a magnificent gala that attracts the crème de la crème of the Chennai party circuit. The company's third year of continued association with India's only tennis event speaks volumes about the trust and dependability of the tournament and the credible platform it offers to marketers.

Mr. Siddharth Banerji, Managing Director Bols Kyndal said, "Bols association with a prestigious championship like the Aircel Chennai Open reflects our desire to be associated with top sporting events across the globe. The partnership has been an inspirational and rewarding experience. It has also been an absolute pleasure to host the Bols Official Player Party of the leading tournament in this part of the continent. We wish the players and organizers the very best as they prepare for the upcoming tournament."

Ashu Jindal, COO IMG Reliance said, "Aircel Chennai Open is proud to have received support from a leading brand such as Bols for the past two seasons. We are glad that the association - one that is mutually beneficial and rewarding - is being taken forward into the third year. We thank Bols for its long standing support to us and to tennis in India."

The Title Sponsor for the tournament is Aircel and the event is supported by a consortium of sponsors in the Platinum category.

The USD 450,000 Aircel Chennai Open, owned by IMG and operated and organised by IMG Reliance, is India's and South Asia's only ATP World Tour event. Started in 1996, by IMG, a global leader in sports management and marketing, the event has completed successful years of existence, branding Chennai and India on the global tennis map thus creating a legacy of sorts of promoting international tennis in India. Winner of the prestigious ATP's Player Services Award of Excellence (2006) for its outstanding organization and wonderful hospitality towards the participants and ATP's Best Marketing Award (2008), the tournament has acquired the status of a much sought-after tennis event for both players and fans alike in the International tennis circuit. The 19th edition of the event in India and 18th in Chennai will be held from December 30, 2013 to January 5, 2014 at the SDAT Tennis stadium in Nungambakkam, Chennai. The tournament is conducted in Chennai under the aegis of the All India Tennis Association (AITA) and is organised with the active collaboration of the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) and Tamil Nadu Tennis Association (TNTA).

BOLS Kyndal is a joint venture between Amsterdam based Lucas BOLS BVand Kyndal India Pvt. Ltd. Lucas BOLS has brought their expertise of blending, distilling and their 400 years of heritage in the spirits business and Kyndal has brought to the fore their marketing & distribution expertise and their immense understanding of the Indian Diaspora to ensure BOLS X.O. Excellence Brandy is a success in the widely diverse Indian market. Today BOLS Brandy is the market leader in the premium brandy segment in the country. BOLS X.O. Excellence Brandy is pot stilled and matured grape brandy and is the first genuine grape spirit brandy in India. The BOLS Kyndal JV comprises of BOLS Premier XO Excellence, BOLS XO Excellence, and Bootz Authentic Genuine Grape Brandy.

For nearly four decades, IMG Tennis has led the industry in the areas of player representation, tournament management, tour marketing, television-related initiatives, and teaching academies. The company's rich heritage in tennis dates back to 1968 with the signing of its first tennis client, Rod Laver, by Mark H. McCormack. IMG Tennis anticipates the trends, nurtures the talent, and maximizes the opportunities for players, organizations, corporate marketers, and fans of tennis. IMG represents many top players on both the WTA and ATP Tours, along with a bevy of future stars poised to make their mark on the professional game. IMG also prides itself on representing many of the legends of the game. IMG's roster of tennis clients includes Novak Djokovic, Bjorn Borg, Lindsay Davenport, Chris Evert, Mary Joe Fernandez, John McEnroe, Monica Seles, Maria Sharapova, and Venus Williams.

IMG Reliance Pvt Ltd., is an equal joint venture between Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), India's largest and most recognized private sector company, and IMGWorldwide (IMG), the world's leading sports marketing and management company. The joint venture company will develop, market and manage sports and entertainment in India. Its current assets include India's premier fashion event, Lakmé Fashion Week and South Asia's only ATP World Tour event, the Aircel Chennai Open. IMG Reliance has entered agreements with the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) to create a new professional basketball league and manage all aspects of the commercial rights to the game in India and the All India Football Federation (AIFF), to improve, popularize and promote the game of football throughout India, from the grassroots to the professional level. IMG Reliance has also created a scholarship program to identify and train talented young Indians from sports including - basketball, soccer and tennis-at IMG's world-class sports training facilities at IMG Academies in Bradenton, Florida.