LONDON, March 20, 2018 (Press Release)
The prestigious, traditional pre-Wimbledon grass court tournament at The Queen’s Club is to be renamed the Fever-Tree Championships after the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) agreed a three-year deal with the premium mixer drinks company to title-sponsor the event.
Fever-Tree follows Stella Artois and Aegon as only the third title-sponsors of the tournament at The Queen’s Club in the last 40 years. To mark the launch of the Fever-Tree Championships, a special edition ‘Championship G&T’ will be sold exclusively at the event.
Stephen Farrow, Tournament Director of the Fever-Tree Championships, said: “This is fantastic news. Fever-Tree is a perfect fit for us – a premium brand known for quality. The Queen’s Club has been the venue for this tournament for more than a century, the Roll of Honour features all-time greats such as Rod Laver, John McEnroe, Pete Sampras, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray, and this will be the 40th year that the event has been covered by the BBC. As the Fever-Tree Championships, we will be looking to build and improve the tournament experience still further for players, ticket-holders, media and everyone involved with the event.”
Scott Lloyd, Chief Executive of the LTA, said: “We are delighted that Fever-Tree has partnered with one of the most popular events in the summer sporting calendar. This is a significant and exciting brand association for British Tennis and marks a new chapter in the event’s history. The Queen’s Club has always showcased the very best of British and international tennis and this year the new Fever-Tree Championships will be no exception.”
Tim Warrillow, Chief Executive of Fever-Tree, said: “The launch of the Fever-Tree Championships marks an exciting and historic moment for Fever-Tree. The annual tournament at The Queen’s Club is already a very prestigious British sporting event and this partnership perfectly reflects our values as a premium brand, celebrating a great summer of sport. Alongside the LTA and The Queen’s Club, we look forward to welcoming tennis fans from across the globe to the Fever-Tree Championships as they come to watch some of the greatest tennis talent in the world.”
The Fever-Tree Championships will take place 18th-24th June. Three of the world’s current Top 4 ranked players – No.2 Rafael Nadal, No.3 Marin Cilic, No.4 Grigor Dimitrov – have announced their intention to compete. They join Andy Murray, who hopes to launch his comeback at a tournament that he has won a record five times. Further players will be revealed in the weeks to come.
Tickets for the Fever-Tree Championships went on sale recently amidst record demand. The tournament’s Centre Court capacity increased by more than 30% last year. The event will be covered throughout by BBC television, radio and online, by Amazon Prime Video for the first time and around the world in more than 40 countries.
WHAT THE PLAYERS SAY ABOUT THE FEVER-TREE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Rafael Nadal – World No.2, Champion in 2008, winner of 16 Grand Slam singles titles
“Queen’s is special because it is played at a true tennis club. The people that organise the event and the British crowds are fantastic. Winning in 2008 was a special moment for me, and it has always been the best way for me to be ready for Wimbledon.”
Andy Murray – 5-time champion, former World No.1, 2-time Wimbledon champion
“I’ve always loved playing at The Queen’s Club. My first ATP World Tour match-win came at Queen’s in 2005, and it is by far the most successful tournament of my career. Looking at the names that have won the tournament four times – some of the best players ever – winning it five times means a lot to me.”
Marin Cilic – World No.3, 2012 champion, US Open winner – 2014
‘The Fever-Tree Championships is one of the best tournaments that we play, I am proud to have won it and I want to win it again. I have been playing the event since I was very young and they even gave me a wild card in my first year, so it has always been a special place for me.”
Grigor Dimitrov – World No.4, 2014 champion, reigning ATP World Tour Finals champion
‘The Fever-Tree Championships is one of my favourite tournaments, there’s so much history at the event and grass is one of the best times of the year. I won the tournament a few years ago and I love it. It’s the best way to prepare for Wimbledon, and to perform out there on the grass at Queen’s is a really, really amazing feeling.”
