Sonali Bendre, an iconic Bollywood actor, has been announced as the co-owner of the Chennai Smashers in the Tennis Premier League (TPL).
The league revealed the Bollywood stars’ engagement in the franchise as co-owners during a ceremony hosted by the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association in Colaba, along with Dharmender Goel and Vipul Bansal.
The ceremony was also attended by TPL founders Kunal Thakkur and Mrunal Jain, as well as Manoj Vaidya, CEO of the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association, and Cricket Club of India‘s (CCI) Sanju Kothari. The event also commemorated and honoured the champions of the Race to Gold Masters competition, which took place in Ahmedabad, Delhi, and Mumbai.
On the development, Sonali Bendre said, “I have always enjoyed watching tennis. My love for the sport deepened when my son started playing. I’ve always believed that sports are a powerful way to instil discipline in children’s lives. Which is why I’m excited to partner with the team behind the Tennis Premier League in their mission to encourage kids to step out, get active. I have been involved with the Tennis Premier League (TPL) since its inception and have witnessed its remarkable growth year after year. Over the years, I knew I wanted to be more involved. That’s why I’m thrilled to partner with High Tech Sports Pvt Ltd to co-own the Chennai Smashers. Chennai has a special place in my heart, with its rich history of producing iconic teams.
“I’m excited to bring that same spirit to the Smashers and together with my partners and our wonderful players, we hope to build a great, supportive community of fans. With the upcoming season just around the corner in December at the Cricket Club of India in Mumbai, we’re working tirelessly to create an unforgettable experience for tennis enthusiasts across India. This is more than just owning a team – it’s about sharing this amazing sport with the community and creating new experiences.”
Co-owner of the franchise, Vipul Bansal of HI-Tech Pipes, said, “The Tennis Premier League is doing an amazing job in promoting tennis as a sport in India. And especially with the effort Sonali and the whole team is putting in, I feel Tennis would be one of the next big things in India.”
Co-founder of the league, Kunal Thakkur, said, “A very warm welcome to Vipul, Sonali and Dharmender to the league. We have top players from the world who will be a part of the league this time and the tournament will be live not just in India but all over the world, so really excited for the new season!”
Co-owner of Chennai Smashers, Dharmender, said, “I am very excited for the TPL season coming ahead and with such efforts we can try to promote Tennis to a higher level. There is a long way to go but I see a bright future for Tennis in India.”
The sixth season of the Tennis Premier League will begin on December 3 and will be live on JioCinema and Sports18.