GRANBY, QUEBEC--(Marketwire - July 12, 2012) - National Bank (TSX:NA) is proud to present the 17^th edition of the Granby National Bank Challenger. For a second year in a row, the mixed tournament will take place at the St-Luc courts of the Club de tennis Granby Multi-sports (located at 90 Langlois) from July 14 to 22.

Rising stars and most recent Wimbledon Junior champions in girls' and boys' singles, Quebecer Eugénie Bouchard and Canadian Filip Peliwo, will certainly be in the spotlights. So as Stéphanie Dubois, winner of the 16^th edition of the Granby National Bank Challenger, who will be present to defend her singles title. Fellow Quebecers Marie-Ève Pelletier and Françoise Abanda will also be included in the main draw. On the men's side, Canada's Vasek Pospisil (ranked 104^th in the world) will be the top seed among the players facing off during this high-level competition.

The Granby Challenger is a professional tennis tournament that attracts players who are ranked 100^th to 400^th worldwide. Results are factored into the international rankings of the Association of Tennis Professionals and the Women's Tennis Association, thereby ensuring thrilling matches for audiences.

"As a longstanding sponsor of tennis, National Bank supports numerous organizations in Quebec and Ontario. Our financial support of the Granby Challenger comes under National Bank's sports sponsorship program, which aims to promote excellence, determination and the training and development of professional and amateur athletes," stated Daniel Poissant, Vice-President - Sales and Service, Personal Banking for Montérégie and Central Quebec at National Bank. "Participating in a tournament that brings together athletes and fans from around the world is also an opportunity to promote our On the Ball program, the Bank's tennis ball recovery program to benefit schools."

For a sixth year, National Bank will be pursuing this program in Quebec and launching it in Ontario. Using old balls as chair slippers helps reduce noise levels in the classroom and create better learning conditions for children. To date, this initiative has made it possible to collect over 500,000 balls to the delight of students and teachers.

National Bank will have a special team and booth on the Granby Challenger site from July 14 to 22 to encourage tennis fans to contribute used balls to this worthy cause. In return, they will have the chance to win various instant prizes and be eligible for the grand prize, a dream day with On the Ball spokesperson and Canadian champion Aleksandra Wozniak. For more information about the contest, the stops on the ball recovery tour, or to order used balls for schools or school boards, go to the site of the National Bank On the Ball Program at [ www.nbc.ca/ontheball ].

Every year, through its donations and sponsorships program and the initiatives of its employees, National Bank helps support hundreds of organizations across Canada. It focuses primarily on four main areas of activity - health, education, arts and culture, and community outreach - with the goal of generating positive benefits for communities. To find out more about National Bank's involvement in the community, consult its Social Responsibility Report at [ www.nbc.ca/socialresponsibility ].

About National Bank of Canada

With $176 billion in assets as at April 30, 2012, National Bank of Canada ([ www.nbc.ca ]), together with its subsidiaries, forms one of Canada's leading integrated financial groups, and was named among the five strongest banks in the world by Bloomberg Markets. The Bank has close to 20,000 employees and is widely recognized as a top employer. Its securities are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:NA). Follow the Bank's activities via social media and learn more about its extensive community involvement at [ www.clearfacts.ca ] and [ www.commitment.nationalbank.ca ].

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