MELBOURNE, Australia — Pirelli & C. S.p.A. is adding another sports partnership to its dossier, becoming the official tire partner of the Australian Open, set to begin Jan. 12.
This marks Pirelli's first tennis sponsorship. The Milan, Italy-based tire maker also has partnerships in motorsports, soccer, sailing and skiing. Financial terms were not disclosed.
"For Pirelli, the Australian Open represents a very important opportunity for visibility because of the great interest in tennis at the global level. In particular, the sponsorship will help increase awareness of our brand in Australia which is a market with a high concentration of prestige cars," Pirelli CEO Andrea Casaluci said.
"Precisely in Melbourne, home of the tournament, in 2019 we opened a Pirelli P Zero World, our flagship store model currently present in only four other cities in the world."
Pirelli's connection with tennis dates to 1930 when the company began making tennis balls, a practice that continued until the 1970s, the company said.
"Pirelli is synonymous with innovation and performance, making it a great fit for one of the world's premier tennis events. We are delighted that Pirelli has chosen the Australian Open to mark its first investment in a Grand Slam," Cedric Cornelis, Tennis Australia chief commercial officer, said.
