OPTUS ANNOUNCES AUSTRALIA'S MOST COMPREHENSIVE TENNIS SPONSORSHIPS EVER

Optus has stepped up its involvement in Australian tennis with the announcement today of the most comprehensive sponsorship support for the sport ever seen in this country.

The announcement sees Optus increase its support to cover the Australian Open, the Optus Junior Tennis Tour (consisting of over 100 events) and the Optus national squad supporting 60 of Australia's brightest young talents.

New areas of sponsorship:

Australian Open - Partner level sponsorship and official telecommunications provider to oneof the world's biggest sporting events;

Optus Junior Tour - Naming rights sponsorship of the Tour covering 68 metropolitan and 41 regional events including 14 national titles covering 18/U, 16/U, 14/U and 12/U age groups;

Optus national squad - A national development program designed to help up to 60 (30 male and 30 female) players showing potential to become world class players.

Existing areas of sponsorship:

Optus Team Tennis Australia - covers naming rights for Australia's Fed Cup and Davis Cup teams, support for Wheelchair tennis, Junior Davis Cup and Fed Cup teams and junior age-group touring teams from 12/U up to 18/U. This includes scholarships and recognition awards for excellence.

Geoff Pollard, President of Tennis Australia, said, "Today's announcement represents the most comprehensive coverage of any sponsorship in Australian tennis history and makes the name of Optus synonymous with tennis and the aspirations of young players to succeed.

"The two major components of a player's development in tennis are training and competition and Optus now covers both.

"At the pinnacle of a young Australian player's aspirations is winning their home Grand Slam and it's great to have Optus on board as a partner and telecommunications provider for this major event which prides itself on being at the leading edge of event presentation."

Stephen Cameron, Optus Director of Corporate Marketing, said Optus has been involved in supporting tennis for almost four years and is proud to continue helping Australian tennis grow through its sponsorship.

"This sponsorship sees Optus support Australian tennis from the grass roots level to the elite level.

"Competition, teamwork and partnership make champions - principles that are reflected in the way Optus does business. Optus is very pleased to be able to provide continued support ensuring team tennis Australia achieve their best.

"Optus is proud to be the official telecommunications partner for the Australian Open in its centenary year. The Australian Open is Australia's biggest sporting event with extensive media exposure - reaching Optus customers and the hundreds of thousands of tennis fans of all age groups who attend the event," Mr Cameron said.

As part of the sponsorship, on the first Friday of the tournament (21 January 2005), the Grand Slam event will be hosting the first Optus 'Yes' Day with onsite activities planned around Melbourne Park showcasing Optus products and new technologies.

For further media information:
John Lindsay, Media & PR Manager, Tennis Australia, Tel 03 9272 1022 or 0413 240 171.
Eloise Tyson, Media & PR Coordinator, Tennis Australia, Tel 03 9286 1202 or 0409 534 960.
Simone Bergholcs, Optus Corporate Affairs Tel 02 9342 7846 or 0412 206 602.