In handing over the Kia Courtesy Fleet to Tennis Australia’s CEO Steve Wood, KMAu President and CEO C.W Kim confirmed Kia’s ongoing support for tennis in Australia.

“For more than a decade Kia has been a proud sponsor of the Australian Open, one of the world’s great sporting events, and that commitment has not wavered,” Mr Kim said in Melbourne today. “However, Kia’s commitment to tennis runs much deeper than just the elite level.

“Through the Kia Amateur Australian Open there is an annual opportunity for a young player to share in the excitement of the main event playing against qualifiers from 15 other countries in the second week of the Australian Open.”

In accepting the courtesy fleet, Steve Wood, CEO of Tennis Australia, said: “The Australian Open is the biggest sporting event in the world in January, and I’m pleased to again accept the fleet of Kia Vehicles which will effectively keep the tournament moving over the next few weeks.

“It’s a huge logistical exercise to move all our players, officials, media and staff around Melbourne during the event and it’s great to know we can rely on Kia’s support.”

The majority of the courtesy fleet _ 71 vehicles _ are Australia’s favourite people-mover, the multi-award winning Kia Grand Carnival which can move up to eight people in comfort.

Also on the fleet are Kia’s exciting mid-sized sedan, the Optima, the award-winning Sorento SUV and Kia’s all-new Rio, the recent winner of the Carsguide Car Of The Year..

The Kia courtesy fleet will be driven by 215 volunteer drivers who expect to clock up more than 400,000 kilometres in thousands of journeys during the 2012 Australian Open.