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After a season of triumphant tennis, World No. 15 Roberto Bautista Agut chooses Aircel Chennai Open to begin 2015 campaign

 Agut is the third World Top-15 player to confirm participation after Stan Wawrinka and Feliciano Lopez

Agut has recently been named the ATP’s Most Improved Player of the Year for 2014

 This will be the Spaniard’s third visit to participate in the region’s leading ATP World Tour tennis event

 BANGALORE, NOVEMBER 7, 2014: Current World No. 15 Roberto Bautista Agut today confirmed his participation in the 20th edition of the Aircel Chennai Open, India and South Asia’s only ATP World Tour tennis event, scheduled to be held at Chennai’s SDAT Stadium from January 5th to 11th 2015. After charming Chennai’s tennis fans in two hard fought encounters in the past – as unseeded player and first-time ATP World Tour finalist in 2013 and World No. 59 in 2014 – the Spaniard is back to amaze.

This time it is after a season of fantastic victories and a demonstration of pure class that catapulted him to World No. 15 and win the ATP’s Most Improved Player of the Year Award. The confirmation also goes to show the importance many of the world’s leading tennis players are giving the Aircel Chennai Open, an event that has proudly been India’s only ATP World Tour stop for close to two decades. At Chennai, one of the first tournaments of the year, the right-handed player will join top stars such as World No. 4 Stan Wawrinka, World No.14 debutant Feliciano Lopez, ACO 2013 Singles Champion Janko Tipsarevic and other players from India and abroad to set the courts on fire. Agut will endeavor to start the season on a winning note and better his 2013 performance where he was runner-up and lost a hard-fought three-setter against Janko Tipsarevic in the memorable Aircel Chennai Open 2013 final.

In dazzling form, Bautista Agut or Bati as he is popularly known climbed 50 spots from his year-end Emirates ATP Ranking of No. 64. At 26, the Castellon de la Plana native has established himself as a strong contender on all surfaces. Beginning with his first ATP World Tour title on the grass-courts of s-Hertogenbosch in June, he went on to shine on clay in Stuttgart and reached the final of the Kremlin Cup played on hard courts, in October 2014. The year has witnessed Agut impressing the world tennis fraternity on a number of occasions such as advancing to the fourth round of the Australian and US Open, the semi-finals of the Mutua Madrid Open, falling only to Rafael Nadal, and other events such as third round of ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Shanghai, and being runner-up at Moscow.

Commenting on his presence at the event, Roberto Bautista Agut said, “I have happy memories at the Aircel Chennai Open and am pleased to confirm my participation in the 20th edition of the tournament, my third visit to India to fire up the new season. I like the city, the crowd support and the playing environment offered there. World No.15 feels great and 2014 has been the best year in my career. I look forward to playing in Chennai and maintaining my form in the new season.”

“Tamil Nadu Tennis Association is pleased to receive confirmation from World No.15 Roberto Bautista Agut and welcomes him to Chennai for the third year in a row!  We congratulate him on his stunning performance in 2014 and look forward to seeing him begin 2015 on a winning note at the Aircel Chennai Open’s 20th edition” said Mr. M.A Alagappan, President of Tamil Nadu Tennis Association.

“With confirmation from three of the world’s top 15 players already, we expect the 2015 edition of the Aircel Chennai Open to be a thrilling affair. We take this opportunity to welcome Roberto to Chennai yet again and wish him the very best for his preparation to play India’s only ATP World Tour stop”, said Ashu Jindal, Chief Operating Officer, IMG Reliance.

The Aircel Chennai Open, one of three tournaments held in the opening week of the season, continues to give the subcontinent access to one week of scintillating tennis action, featuring some of the best names in the highly competitive world of international tennis.

The Title Sponsor for the tournament is Aircel and the event is supported by a consortium of sponsors in the Platinum and Gold category, headed by the Government of Tamil Nadu.

About Aircel Chennai Open 2015

The USD 450,000 Aircel Chennai Open, owned by IMG and operated and organised by IMG Reliance, is India’s and South Asia’s only ATP World Tour event. Started in 1996, by IMG, a global leader in sports management and marketing, the event has completed 20 successful years of existence, branding Chennai and India on the global tennis map thus creating a legacy of sorts of promoting international tennis in India. Winner of the prestigious ATP’s Player Services Award of Excellence (2006) for its outstanding organization and wonderful hospitality towards the participants and ATP’s Best Marketing Award (2008), the tournament has acquired the status of a much sought-after tennis event for both players and fans alike in the International tennis circuit. The 20th edition of the event in India and 19th in Chennai will be held from 5th – 11th January, 2015 at the SDAT Tennis stadium in Nungambakkam, Chennai. The tournament is conducted in Chennai with the active collaboration of the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu (SDAT) and Tamil Nadu Tennis Association (TNTA).

About IMG

IMG is a global leader in sports, fashion and media operating in more than 30 countries around the world. IMG’s businesses include Events & Media, College, Golf, Tennis, Performance and IMG Academy, Fashion, Models, Clients, Consulting, Licensing, Joint Ventures, and creative management agency Art + Commerce. In 2014, IMG was acquired by WME, the world’s leading entertainment and media agency. Together, the companies offer an unparalleled client roster; world-class partnerships with sponsors, brands and broadcasters; and marquee assets across entertainment, events and fashion.

About IMG Reliance

IMG Reliance Pvt Ltd., is an equal joint venture between Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), India’s largest and most recognized private sector company, and IMG Worldwide (IMG), the world’s leading sports marketing and management company. The joint venture company will develop, market and manage sports and entertainment in India. Its current assets include India’s premier fashion event, Lakmé Fashion Week and South Asia’s only ATP World Tour event, the Aircel Chennai Open. IMG Reliance has entered agreements with the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) to create a new professional basketball league and manage all aspects of the commercial rights to the game in India and the All India Football Federation (AIFF), to improve, popularize and promote the game of football throughout India, from the grassroots to the professional level. IMG Reliance has also created a scholarship program to identify and train talented young Indians from sports including – basketball, soccer and tennis-at IMG’s world-class sports training facilities at IMG Academies in Bradenton, Florida.