ST. PETERSBURG, FL, USA - The Sony Ericsson WTA Tour announced Suniti Marathe as the grand prize winner for the 2009 Heroes Among Us program. Marathe, who has taught high school for more than 20 years, receives this honor for her leadership and commitment to serving as a role model and mentor to young people in her community of Goa, India.
Fans selected Marathe out of five finalists in an online vote, which took place on the Tour's official website between September 28 and October 5, 2009. As the winner of the Heroes Among Us program, Marathe will receive a prize package for two to attend the Sony Ericsson Championships - Doha 2009, including tickets to the final, roundtrip airline tickets, accommodation, transportation, behind-the-scenes access at the tournament and tickets to the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Year-End Party in Doha, Qatar. Marathe's son, Ajit, nominated his mother because of her commitment to educating youth in local villages. "She has gotten many kids in our area to read good books," said Ajit. "If books are not available in her library, she personally takes the kids to bigger libraries. Every person in our area recognizes her not only as a good teacher but as a good person." Marathe, who runs a library and teaches out of her home, also travels to neighboring villages to teach and to distribute books and uniforms to children who are in need. According to Ajit, Marathe believes that reading not only improves knowledge, but helps improve awareness. "The Sony Ericsson WTA Tour is very proud to honor Marathe, whose commitment to bettering the lives of youth in her community is deserving of recognition," said Stacey Allaster, CEO of the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. "As a female leader and role model, Marathe emulates the values by which Billie Jean King founded the Tour. She is helping to develop future leaders and role models by creating an environment where children have the opportunity to learn and grow." The Heroes Among Us program follows in the footsteps of the Tour's landmark global partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to raise awareness of gender equality issues and create leadership opportunities for women. Venus Williams, along with fellow Tour players Vera Zvonareva, Tatiana Golovin and Zheng Jie, and Tour Founder and tennis legend King, serve as UNESCO Promoters of Gender Equality to help raise awareness about issues of importance to women worldwide, and to create leadership opportunities for women through the funding of programs in Cameroon, Liberia, Dominican Republic, China, Jordan and the United States. The Tour has promoted gender equality for more than three decades. As the world's leading professional sport for women with more than 2,200 players representing 96 nations competing in 51 tournaments and four Grand Slams in 31 countries, the Tour has not only provided the opportunity for women to excel at the highest level of sport, but inspired millions of girls worldwide who dream big.
