The “Xperia Hot Shots” series will feature six young players when it goes live in March, following the on and off-court experiences of the hopefuls over more than 50 tournaments on the tour.
The players, who will be named in March, will also use social media platforms such as YouTube and Facebook to complement the series, and the public will be able to vote on their favourite stars. The project will be supported by WTA sponsor Sony Ericsson.
“At Sony Ericsson we love tennis, and with Xperia Hot Shots we’re bringing entertainment in to this world, making it even more appealing to youth audiences globally,” said Stephan Croix, vice-president of global marketing partnerships at Sony Ericsson. “We’re taking cues from reality TV and are combining it with edgy and exciting entertainment to create a pioneering new genre of online TV show that innovates in the world of sport.”
Andrew Walker, vice-president of global marketing and communications at the WTA, added: “Sony Ericsson has been an innovative partner of the WTA since 2005 and we’re delighted they’re bringing this original idea to women’s tennis. It is an exciting way for fans to interact with the players and also a great opportunity to bring a new audience to the sport.”
