Kia Goes live With Interactive Australian Open Microsite

SYDNEY – December 21, 2009: Kia Motors Australia has gone live with an interactive Australian Open-themed microsite dedicated solely to tennis and the Australian Open - www.kia.com.au/tennis

As the major sponsor of the annual Australian Open in Melbourne, the dedicated and innovative microsite gives Kia Motors the opportunity to interact directly with tennis fans in Australia and around the world.

Content to be featured on the site over the duration of the Australian Open will include the Kia Hawkeye Umpire Challenge, Fan of the Day images, tennis news, blogs and Twitter feeds, with direct links to the Australian Open website.

The Kia Hawkeye Umpire Challenge is already live and challenges players to test their skills and judgement against Hawkeye, the electronic umpire. A warning is necessary - this game can be very addictive.

The Love All blogs will start on Monday 4 January and feature the insider's views from both a well-known tennis professional and a volunteer driver from the Australian Open's fleet of Kia courtesy vehicles.

Kia Motors has been a proud sponsor of the Australian Open in Melbourne since 2002, celebrating the performance of the most elite tennis players in the world including Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.

Nadal, the world's #2 ranked men's tennis player, has been Kia's global brand ambassador since 2006, working with Kia to promote its brand and its evolving range of exciting, quality vehicles in global markets, especially across Europe.

He was the 2009 Australian Open men's champion, beating current world #1 Federer in an epic five-set encounter at Rod Laver Arena.

The association between Kia Motors and Tennis Australia, organisers of the Australian Open, has recently been further strengthened by the supply of eleven Kia Sorento SUVs to TA's top National coaching staff who will run coaching clinics in major cities around Australia during the coming year.

The Australian Open microsite also complements the recent rejuvenation of Kia's corporate website and the journey Kia Motors Australia has been undertaking in the past year, introducing new models such as the Cerato, Soul, Koup and next-generation Sorento which are already appealing to a wider audience.