STANFORD, Calif. -- The Bank of the West Classic and Stanford University have agreed to a three-year contract that will keep the longest-running women-only professional tennis tournament in the world at the Taube Family Tennis Center through the year 2012.
"We are pleased to announce that the Bank of the West Classic will be calling the Taube Family Tennis Center home for at least three more years," said IMG Senior Vice President Adam Barrett. "The tournament has a long and storied history here in the Bay Area, and we look forward to working with our friends at Stanford University to continue producing a world-class event at this wonderful facility."
The Bank of the West Classic, which is owned and operated by IMG, is a premier Sony Ericsson WTA Tour event and features a 32-player singles draw and 16-team doubles draw with total prize money of $700,000. Stanford University's Taube Family Tennis Center has been home to the Bank of the West Classic since 1997.
"Stanford University is excited to extend its partnership with IMG and looks forward to keeping the Bank of the West Classic on campus through 2012," said Bob Bowlsby, Stanford's Jaquish & Kenninger Director of Athletics. "In addition to providing Northern California tennis fans with so many memorable moments, the Bank of the West Classic has always featured the world's best players competing at a high level, while allowing Stanford University an opportunity to showcase the Taube Family Tennis Center as one of the finest tennis facilities in the country."
The event, which is now in its 39th year, has brought many of the world's greatest tennis players to the Bay Area, including Billie Jean King, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Monica Seles, Martina Hingis, Lindsay Davenport, Kim Clijsters, Venus Williams, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova.
In addition to the Bank of the West Classic, the Taube Family Tennis Center hosted the first-ever combined men's and women's NCAA Tennis Championships in 2006. Back in February, it was announced that the facility will again host the NCAA Tennis Championships in 2011. The facility has hosted the NCAA Women's Tennis Championship four times.
The Taube Family Tennis Stadium has also served as the host site for the Fed Cup Finals in 1999 and the Siebel Champions Tour in 2000 and 2001. The facility is also home to the nationally acclaimed East Palo Alto Tennis and Tutoring Program (EPATT).
ABOUT THE BANK OF THE WEST CLASSIC: The Bank of the West Classic is the longest-running women-only professional tennis tournament in the world and is the first stop on the Olympus US Open Series. A Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Premier event, the 2009 Bank of the West Classic will be held July 27-Aug. 2 and features a 32-player singles draw and a 16-team doubles draw with total prize money of $700,000. Held on Stanford University's campus at the Taube Family Tennis Stadium since 1997, former champions include Billie Jean King, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Andrea Jaeger, Monica Seles, Martina Hingis, Lindsay Davenport and Venus Williams. The Bank of the West Classic is owned and operated by IMG.
ABOUT BANK OF THE WEST: With more than $66 billion in assets, San Francisco-based Bank of the West is one of the nation's 25 largest banks. Founded in 1874, Bank of the West is a full-service financial institution with nearly four million accounts in more than 700 branch and commercial offices across 19 Western and Midwestern states.