Black Tennis Pros

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — The WTA Tour has reached a contract extension with Sony Ericsson that continues their relationship through the end of 2012 but drops the mobile phone company as a title sponsor of the women's tennis tour.

In 2005, Sony Ericsson became the global title sponsor for the WTA Tour under a US $88-million, six-year deal due to expire at the end of 2010. Now the circuit's name will just be "WTA Tour."

Sony Ericsson also no longer will have the title rights for the tour's season-ending championships.

Financial terms of the extension were not announced, but the tour said the "net profitability" will be the same as under the prior deal.

The new agreement is to be announced formally Monday.

Shown above with various WTA Tour players, Dee Dutta (center) who served Sony Ericsson for six years, will resign at the end of March. Dutta was largely responsible for the the Sony Ericsson-WTA Tour partnership.

"I am very proud of the achievements that my team and I have made in growing the brand and look forward to the next challenge in my career" said Dutta in a statement.

During Dutta's tenure, Sony Ericsson became the title sponsor of the WTA Tour and brought about the Sony Ericsson Open which is currently being played in Miami, Florida through April 6, and the ATP Tour calendars.