ISTANBUL, Turkey - Women's Tennis Association (WTA) players and TEB BNP Paribas, the title sponsor of the TEB BNP Paribas WTA Championships, made a joint donation of US$250,000 to the Turkish Red Crescent to support the victims of the recent devastating earthquake in Turkey.

Close to 600 people died and more than 2,300 were injured during the country's most powerful earthquake in more than a decade. WTA stars participating in the TEB BNP Paribas WTA Championships donated a percentage of their Championships prize money which was matched by both the WTA and TEB BNP Paribas.

The Turkish Red Crescent is Turkey's arm of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the world's largest humanitarian network. Turkish Red Crescent took immediate action after the earthquake, mobilizing its staff and emergency supplies for thousands of victims.

"Through the four years that we've been preparing for the TEB BNP Paribas WTA Championships in Turkey, we've established a deep connection to this wonderful country and its people," said Stacey Allaster, Chairman and CEO of the WTA. "WTA players and our partner TEB BNP Paribas wanted to show support for those affected by the earthquake in hopes that our collective donation can help some of the neediest at this time."

"TEB BNP Paribas is very pleased to join WTA players in helping raise funds for the earthquake victims in Turkey," said Varol Civil, CEO of TEB BNP Paribas.

"Turkey has been incredibly kind and welcoming to us and we want to assist in some way the victims of this terrible disaster. We hope that the funds we generated this week for the victims can ease at least a little bit of their pain. Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected by the earthquake," said world No.3 Petra Kvitova.