The Indian tennis icon, Leander Paes has acquired a team from Kolkata, which will be competing in the fifth edition of the Tennis Premier League (TPL).
The 49-year-old Paes will co-own the team from the City of Joy, along with the chairman of Warwizard Group, Mr Yatin Gupte.
The Kolkata-based franchise in the fifth season of the marquee tennis league will be competing against teams like Pune Jaguars, co-owned by Sonali Bendre, Hyderabad Strikers, co-owned by actress Rakul Preet Singh, Sania Mirza’s Bengaluru Spartans, and last but not the least, the Taapsee Pannu co-owned team, Punjab Tigers.
Speaking on this occasion, Leander Paes said, “I am glad to be the face and co-owner of the team as Kolkata is my hometown, it’s where I have some of my fondest memories from. The South Club in Kolkata is the most iconic tennis venue in the country that has hosted the most number of Davis Cup matches in India and has even produced legendary Indian tennis players such as Jaidip Mukerjea and Zeeshan Ali to name a few. I am sure that the presence of a team from Bengal will make season 5 of the Tennis Premier League even bigger than the previous editions.”
Expressing his delight at this new venture, Mr Yatin Gupte, said, ” In terms of recognition and popularity, TPL is the premier competition of Tennis in India, the level of competition in the league is fantastic. That prompted us to invest in a team that’ll take on other competitive teams in the tournament and we are excited to be part of such a wonderful tournament. It also gives us the opportunity to support and invest in Indian tennis, eventually helping elevate the status of tennis in the nation.“
He further added, “I myself am a massive tennis fan, I want to help the sport grow in the country as much as possible and the Tennis Premier League provides a clear pathway for us to do that. The League with it’s innovative format is well on the way to transforming the tennis landscape in India and it fills me with joy that we can actively contribute to this objective of shining the spotlight on sport in the country“.
All India Tennis Association (AITA) and Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA) will play a huge role in conducting the fifth season of the Tennis Premier League, which will be held at the Balewadi Stadium in Pune.