Kia Motors India has announced the commencement of its Australian Open Ballkids International Program 2020 in India after the successful chapter last year. Kia Motors is the major sponsor of the iconic Tennis Grand Slam – the Australian Open since 2002 and this announcement is to promote tennis in India and across the world.
To be a part of Australian International Open Ballkids Programme 2020, participants or their parents/guardians need to register through the microsite (https://www.kia.com/in/ao2020.html) starting from 5th November 2019. 100 shortlisted kids will undergo the final selections & training with Tennis Australia officials. They will mentor and assess the shortlisted kids (age group 12-15 years) based on their tennis expertise, agility and communication skills to identify the 10 Kia Ballkids who will represent India at Australian Open 2020.
Last year, the AO International Ballkids Programme witnessed a staggering participation of more than 1600 young tennis enthusiasts from across the country, out of which 10 young winners got a chance to witness their favorite tennis star such as Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, etc in action in Melbourne as a part of the fully sponsored trip by Kia Motors India. Taking the Australian Open Programme’s legacy forward and considering the growing excitement amongst the kids for tennis in India, the company again brings the initiative to India to celebrate its long-term commitment to the game of tennis and provide a lifetime opportunity to the youth of this country.
Kia has been a global custodian of sports partnering various global sporting events such as FIFA World Cup and Australian Open. Through partnership with AO for Australian Open Ballkids International Program, FIFA for OMBC (Official Match Ball Carrier) program and Bengaluru Football Club for Indian Super League, Kia has encouraged millions of sports enthusiasts in India and created a unique fan base.
