WTA offers fans exclusive social media video platform

The Women's Tennis Association has taken fan engagement to new levels by launching the WTA Live Fan Access, a video interaction program via a social media platform, this season.

For diehard tennis fans, interviews at courtside and press conferences have been far from enough to feed their growing curiosity about players' lives while on professional tours, and now they will be able to learn more through the interactive communication of social media.

With the new Live Fan Access, which was jointly presented by WTA and its sponsor Xerox, tennis fans will have the chance to get up close and personal with their favorite WTA stars via exciting behind-the-scenes video series featuring the likes of Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova and Caroline Wozniacki from tournaments across the world.

The service will be available at eight tournaments including the BNP Paribas Open, Miami and the WTA pre-Wimbledon party throughout 2015 to produce a series of videos from each tournament and will feature live, fun player interviews as well as the chance for fans to connect with players by submitting questions via social media.

"WTA Live Fan Access presented by Xerox showcases the world's best female athletes and provides our fans with exclusive, behind-the-scenes content in a short form format designed for millennials and the younger generation" said Stacey Allaster, WTA chairwoman and CEO.

"The show gives tennis fans a unique experience to engage with the stars of women's tennis and follow their inspiring and exciting journeys on the 2015 Road to Singapore."

Fans can submit questions to WTA Live Fan Access across the social media spectrum - either by tweeting questions to @WTA and including the hashtag #WTALive, commenting on the Facebook WTA Live post at www.facebook.com/WTA, or commenting on the Google+ WTA Live post at https://plus.google.com/+WTA/posts.

Video messages can also be sent in on Vine, Twitter and Instagram using #XeroxFancast - the best will be featured in episodes throughout the series, with one lucky fan winning a unique live video chat with one of the stars at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global in October 2015.

The series builds on the success of 2014's WTA Live All Access Hour presented by Xerox and was launched at the BNP Paribas Open in March 2015, featuring amongst others world No 2 Maria Sharapova taking viewers behind-the-scenes at an event for her charitable candy line Sugarpova as well as discussing her love of inspirational art.

Also at Indian Wells Caroline Wozniacki revealed to fans her guilty pleasure of playing online trivia and whether or not she'll take on another marathon after running the New York Marathon in 2014.

WTA Live Fan Access most recently covered the Miami Open going behind-the-scenes as a host of WTA stars enjoyed swimming with dolphins, while Eugenie Bouchard offered tips on how to take the perfect "selfie" and even turned the tables on a group of lucky fans by asking them a series of questions. Viewers can catch up on these videos and follow the series by visiting the website.

"The WTA, like many businesses, operates on a global scale while striving to deliver a personalized customer experience," said John Kennedy, chief marketing officer of Xerox, US-based document management corporation.

"We share that focus with the WTA, assisting them in bringing fans closer to their favorite players through exclusive, personal player content."

Future videos will involve more of the world's top players from the Family Circle Cup (Charleston), WTA Pre-Wimbledon Party (London), Bank of the West Classic (Stanford), Rogers Cup (Toronto), Western and Southern Open (Cincinnati) and the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global.