Puma Energy Malawi Limited will sponsor this year’s edition of the Malawi Open Tennis championship to the tune of K2 million.

The petroleum firm announced the sponsorship in Blantyre on Monday ahead of the four-day tournament that gets underway on Friday.

Puma’s sales and marketing manager Joseph Chafumuka said they decided to rescue Lawn Tennis Association of Malawi (LTAM) to develop the sport.

Chafumuka said Puma felt it necessary to give back to the community by sponsoring the championship.

“This is in line with our corporate social responsibility to assist in the development of the sport. Even though we are facing economic challenges we decided to sponsor because lawn tennis is one of the internationally recognised and most followed sporting activity,” he said.

The sales and marketing manager said Puma had previously sponsored different sporting activities under a different brand.

“We used to sponsor the BP Top Eight as well as golf tournaments in the past,” he said.LTAM president Duncan Gumbi said the sponsorship was timely since the Malawi Open Tennis Championship will start on Friday at Blantyre Sports Club.

“We are very grateful for the sponsorship. This is a major tournament in Malawi because it attracts foreign players,” he said.

The tournament’s organising committee chairperson Heather Langford said local players were ready for the event.

“As usual the players will compete in men’s and women categories. They will participate in different events such as singles, doubles and mixed doubles,” she said.

Currently Zambian Edgar Kazembe is the defending champion.