Tokyo, October 23, 2023 – NEC Corporation (NEC; TSE: 6701) has renewed its sponsorship agreement with the International Tennis Federation (ITF*1) as title sponsor of the NEC Wheelchair Singles Masters*2, which it has sponsored since 1994, and as an International Sponsor of the UNIQLO Wheelchair Tennis Tour for an additional three-year period from 2024 through 2026. 

NEC’s continuing partnership with ITF began in 1992 through sponsorship of the Wheelchair Tennis Tour, and this year marks its 30th year as the title sponsor of the NEC Wheelchair Singles Masters.

Wheelchair tennis is one of the most quickly expanding para-sports. This year's NEC Wheelchair Singles Masters will be held from October 30 to November 5 in Barcelona, Spain, and is the year-end singles championship on the International Wheelchair Tennis Tour (more than 160 tournaments throughout the year) organized by the ITF. The Masters often decides the world champion in one or more of the men’s, women’s and quad (athletes with a higher degree of mobility impairment) singles.

NEC has created a video and an article documenting the history of its journey with ITF to develop the sport of wheelchair tennis. 
Please see the following link:
Linkedin 
NEC Global Stories https://www.nec.com/en/global/corporateblog/202310/02.html

By supporting various sports, including this tournament and now-retired record-breaking wheelchair tennis athlete Shingo Kunieda, NEC is living up to its Purpose*3 and contributing to the creation of inclusive and diversified environments where everyone has a chance to reach their full potential.

David Haggerty, ITF President, said: “There is no doubt that wheelchair would not be where they it is today without the loyal support of NEC, whose commitment to the development of the sport and its year-end championship, the NEC Wheelchair Singles Masters, has always been exemplary. Wheelchair tennis has long been one of the fastest growing and most popular of all para sports and on behalf of the ITF and wheelchair tennis, I would like to express our ongoing gratitude to NEC and we look forward to continuing this longstanding and successful partnership.”

“We are delighted to announce the continuation of our partnership with the International Tennis Federation,” said Takayuki Morita, President and CEO, NEC Corporation. “It is a great honor for us to mark 30 years of our sponsorship of the NEC Wheelchair Singles Masters, and we are tremendously proud to have supported the development of this sport since its inception.”

Outline of the 2023 NEC Wheelchair Singles Masters

(*1) International Tennis Federation (ITF) http://www.itftennis.com/
ITF is the international governing body for tennis, headquartered in the outskirts of London. The Wheelchair Tennis Division includes wheelchair tennis member associations from around 60 countries. The Federation manages and grades wheelchair tennis tournaments, establishes world rankings and prize systems, and carries out activities to promote wheelchair tennis. The ITF wheelchair tennis tournaments are said to be the most systematized events for para athletes in the world.

(*2) NEC Wheelchair Singles Masters
This world championship for wheelchair tennis (singles) is held around November every year. The top 8 players in the men's, women's and quad categories are eligible to participate and compete for the top place in the world. NEC has supported the event since its first tournament in 1994.

(*3) NEC Purpose
NEC aims to create the social values of safety, security, equality, and efficiency, and to realize a sustainable society where everyone has the chance to reach their full potential.

About NEC Wheelchair Tennis Sponsorship
URL:https://jpn.nec.com/ad/wheelchairtennis/index.html

For inquiries, contact:
NEC Corporate Communications Department 
E-Mail:cmg-all@ccd.jp.nec.com
 

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