Total E&P Golfe delighted to support tennis in Qatar, says Country Chair

For almost twenty years now, Total E&P Golfe has been at the forefront of promoting women's tennis in Qatar through their sponsorship of the annual Qatar Total Open – a signature event that has grown to become one of the mainstays of Qatar's sporting calendar.

Since the first edition in 2001, Qatar Total Open has always attracted the top players in the WTA Tour with the best names that have ever-graced the tennis court, making their appearance in Qatar at one stage or the other in their career.

Stars such as Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Martina Hingis, Caroline Wozniacki, Martina Hingis, Monica Seles, Justine Henin, Petra Kvitová, to mention a few, have been able to strut their stuff at the award-winning tournament, to the delight of tennis lovers in the country, courtesy of the enduring long-term partnership between Total E&P Golfe and the Qatar Tennis Federation (QTF).

"Total is an energy company at the forefront of promoting diversity globally; culture and sport, especially women sports, being the perfect example. Women’s tennis is probably the most-watched women sports, and we are privileged to be a part of the success story of the sport in Qatar," Matthieu Bouyer, Total E&P Golfe Managing Director and Total Country Chair in Qatar, told Qatar Living on the sidelines of the recently concluded Qatar Total Open 2021.

Talking about the company's long-term relationship with the State of Qatar and sports in the country, Bouyer, who was appointed as Head of the Qatar affiliate about four months ago, said, "Total has been in Qatar for over 85 years now. We've had a long-term partnership with the State of Qatar and other entities in the country such as Qatar Petroleum. As a socially responsible organization, we are willing to contribute to the development of sport and culture in the country. We believe tennis, which enjoys wide acceptance and is one of the top-rated sports in the country, is a natural choice."

Bouyer, who joined the Total Group in 2005 and has since worked in France, Africa, and Asia including the Middle East, added that he was impressed with the fantastic organization of the ladies' tournament and the quality of participation.

While expressing his admiration for the country's ability to host sporting events during the ongoing global pandemic, Bouyer said, "This is my first time participating at the Qatar Total Open, and considering the peculiarity of this year's event, I'm thrilled with the way things were handled and how the health and safety measures were strictly adhered to," he said. "I would like to thank the Qatari authorities and the Qatar Tennis Federation (QTF) under the leadership of HE Nasser Al Khelaifi for the grand success of this year's event."

On the impact of the pandemic on Total's sponsorship of the tournament, the tennis-loving Bouyer said, "We have been a long-term partner of the tournament and of Qatar Tennis Federation, and the partnership between the two organizations has grown over the years, enabling the tournament to become one of the world's best in its category. So, we believe our relationship thrives, no matter the circumstances, as we both have a common goal of promoting sport through this event."

The Total Qatar country Chair noted that, for him, the standout aspects of this year's event were how the players were taken care of by the organizers.

"When you hear the players talk about their experience at Qatar Total Open 2021, you can see that they really enjoy this leg of the WTA tour and the support they have from the fans. It was also great to see fans attending the games with adherence to the health and safety protocols, as it’s not the case in every tournament, and we could feel the emotions of some players who were delighted for the chance to play again in front of a public" he added.

Bouyer said that his company is pleased to see that their relationship with tennis in Qatar has continued to yield great reward with Qatar Total Open moving up the leaderboard to becoming a Premier 500 and Premier 700 tournament.

"The tournament has paved the way for the generation of female tennis players in Qatar, and I look forward to a Qatari player competing on a bigger stage anytime soon," Bouyer said delightedly.

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