Twenty-three-time Grand Slam Singles champion tennis player Serena Williams has signed with AccorHotels to serve as Official Ambassador to Australia throughout the month of January 2019, which features the upcoming Australian Open Grand Slam event.
At the same time, the hotel giant has extended its partnership with Tennis Australia for a further three years as the Official Accommodation Partner for the Australian Open – a deal which will cover the 2019, 2020 and 2021 editions of the event.
The deal will enable AccorHotels to develop exclusive travel packages incorporating hotel stays in Melbourne with tickets to the Grand Slam. The company will have access to tickets for VIPs and Le Club AccorHotels loyalty members as well as access to behind-the-scenes tours of Melbourne Park.
Le Club AccorHotels members and guests will also have the chance to see the two major trophies contested at the Australian Open – those being the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup and the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup – appearing on select occasions at the Sofitel Melbourne on Collins. Current and former tennis players will also take part in speaking engagements and fan events as part of the agreement with Tennis Australia.
The highly decorated, if sometimes temperamental, Williams is an icon of the sport and is one place behind Margaret Court for the record of the highest number of Grand Slam titles by any player in the sport’s history.
AccorHotels Asia Pacific CEO Michael Issenberg said there were few sportspeople in the world as aspirational as Serena Williams.
“Serena’s grit, determination and outstanding performance make her the perfect Ambassador for AccorHotels and she has proven herself to be even more inspirational since becoming a mother after fighting hard to return to the tennis court just six months after the birth of her daughter,” he said.
“Our partnership with AccorHotels has allowed us to enhance the welcome and arrival experience for people coming to the Australian Open and as providers of world-class accommodation, we are proud to have them be part of this world-class event, which last year had a positive impact to the Victorian economy of more than $280 million,” Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley added.