07-May-08:
Dunlop to sponsor Forexx Dutch Open

Leading British sports brand Dunlop has been appointed as 'Official Ball & Racket Supplier’ of the 2008 Forexx Dutch Open, continental Europe’s biggest squash championship this year.

The Forexx Dutch Open Squash 2008 will be staged later this year at the renowned Frans Otten Stadion in Amsterdam, in the Netherlands, from 2-7 September. The event will feature a US$53,500 WISPA World Tour Gold championship and a PSA Tour 3 star tournament boasting a US$30,000 prize-fund.

Tommy Berden, tournament director for event organisers Next Events, said: “We are delighted to have secured the support of Dunlop. Over the last two years we have developed a great relationship with the worlds leading brand as we are both committed to developing squash. To have them on board again is great news for the Forexx Dutch Open and we’re very excited at the prospect of working closely with Dunlop during the build up to the tournament.”

Peter Blommaert, B2B Manager / Product manager Indoor Sports for Dunlop in the Benelux, was equally upbeat about the agreement: “As the undisputed number one brand in squash, Dunlop is delighted to be official ball and racket supplier of the Forexx Dutch Open 2008. After the Dunlop British Open and the Hi-Tec World Squash Championships, both sponsored by Dunlop, the Forexx Dutch Open is the biggest squash tournament in Europe. The image of the Forexx Dutch Open is completely in line with the image and vision Dunlop has in mind. For Dunlop it's the logical choice to partner up with Dutch promoter Tommy Berden in the Benelux".

Dunlop is the official racket of the Professional Squash Association (PSA); is the most used racket on the PSA Tour; and is the official ball of the PSA, World Squash Federation (WSF), and Women’s International Squash Players' Association (WISPA). On top of that Dunlop is also official sponsor of Squash Bond Nederland.

With a total prize fund of US$83,500 - a rise of more than 30% compared to last year - the Forexx Dutch Open 2008 is sure to attract the world’s best players to the capital of the Netherlands. Among them will be Dunlop sponsored players Dylan Bennett, Margriet Huisman, Dutch based ‘Aussie’ Bradley Hindle and British Champion Alison Waters, as well as the female’s world number one Nicol David, the newly Dutch world number two Natalie Grinham and 3-time Dutch national champion Laurens Jan Anjema, currently ranked 17th on the PSA World Rankings. Other participants will be announced at a later stage, closer to deadline.