The Tennis Premier League (TPL) has a few prominent international players, men and women, playing along with the cream of Indian talent like Sumit Nagal and Rutuja Bhosale, on a fast-paced 20-point format, for pure entertainment. However, at its heart, the focus of TPL is the healthy growth of Indian tennis.
A vibrant product for television, as Sony Sports gets ready to broadcast the event for the second year from December 12 to 17, there is a certain aura about the league that is triggering positive vibes for the game.
There is real money for the players. The best Indian player with two Challenger singles titles this season, Nagal gets ₹18.5 lakh, as he strengthens Gujarat Panthers, along with Karman Kaur Thandi who pockets ₹8.5 lakh.
Quite significantly, the players get an average of about ₹five lakh each this season, as compared to about ₹1.5 lakh in 2019 in the second edition.
“We are extremely happy, positive and hopeful with the way things have shaped up, considering the growth of the league each year,” said Kunal Thakkur, the young founder of TPL.
Like the way the Laver Cup turned to black to be unique in its second edition in 2017, as compared to the blue of the Australian and US Open, the red clay of Roland Garros, and the green grass of Wimbledon, the TPL will have a charcoal grey tennis court at the Balewadi Stadium in Pune this year.
Landmark season
“We will have the charcoal grey tennis court for the first time in India. We wanted the fifth edition to be a landmark season for us and wanted to make it look very different. Like the unique format we have, it will be a unique colour that we hope will be attractive and novel on television.
“The colour of the ball remains the same and we feel that the ball will be nicely visible. It is indeed a task to paint the courts and again resurface it to original colour for regular use later. Yet, we feel that it would be worth the effort,” said Kunal.
It is not just the appearance that matters for TPL. It has a mobile app that is trying to engage all the tennis aspirants across the country and bring them on one platform to help healthily propel the game. It is expected to grow to be the one-stop shop for all tennis needs.
“The response to the app has been fantastic. With the support of AITA and the State Association in Maharashtra, we plan to host many grassroots-level tournaments in the country. We have already organised more than 30 tournaments in Mumbai alone. The players and coaches are extremely happy with the way things are moving. The main focus of the app is to get the entire tennis community together on one single platform. It is a unified effort to provide the players all the support and facilities that they need to turn professionals”, explained Mrunal Jain, the co-founder of TPL.
With the players’ welfare as the key, the TPL has already made a difference in the careers of some of India’s leading players.
“The league was started to promote tennis, encourage, motivate and help the Indian players. We are glad to share that one of our team owners, Punit Balan, has signed long-term agreements with Ankita Raina, Rutuja Bhosale and Arjun Khade. This year we have also extended support to our No.1 singles player, Sumit Nagal. TPL is also ensuring a higher amount each passing year for the players who are participating in the league. The more we promote the players, it will catapult the growth of tennis in the country,” felt Kunal.
The league will be on a larger scale this year with massive promotions.
“Top-ranked players are participating, and well-known celebrities have joined hands with TPL. The ultimate goal for Mrunal and I is to get the top players around the world to come and participate in this league. It is a dream to get the likes of Roger Feder, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic to play in this event,” said Kunal.
More excitement, less exertion
Even as the atmosphere becomes electrifying with the quick format, the exertion is much less for the professionals at the end of the season, owing to the 20-point format for each rubber.
“The response to the 20-point format has been fantastic. The players were a little sceptical in the first season, but they all love the format. Many academies have started organising tournaments in the same format. We feel that it is the perfect format for television as it becomes difficult to hold the attention of the audience for long nowadays. As every point matters, the match becomes very exciting, keeping the viewers glued to their screens. The audience at the venue has a great time, as even a layman who does not follow tennis can very easily understand the scoring system,” observed Kunal.
It is not just the black court, the 20-point format, or the presence of leading players that draws the attention of the fans. The presence and involvement of Bollywood stars Taapsee Pannu, Rakul Preet Singh, Sonali Bendre, Malaika Arora, Arjun Kapoor, and Sonu Sood apart from global tennis stars Leander Paes and Sania Mirza, considerably enhances the value of the whole venture.
“Cricket and Bollywood have the maximum reach in our country. So, if we have to make tennis popular and take it to the masses, there is nothing better than getting the support of Bollywood stars. The stars have added to the reach and awareness of the league. We are very fortunate that these celebrities have come forward and extended their unconditional support to the league and tennis. Thankfully, many prominent personalities are willing to support and promote various sports other than cricket,” said Kunal.
More than anything, the celebrities are keen that tennis gets its due as it is a great game.
What matters eventually is the vibrant atmosphere at the stadium with the presence of fans in strength.
“We are expecting a packed stadium this year. As we have the support of all our affiliated academies, we have invited all of them and are providing transport, to come and witness the league with their students, friends and family. Any person who is passionate about tennis can just download the TPL app and claim a free season pass for the event,” revealed Kunal.
There is also an excellent way to connect with the fans through merchandise.
“Yes, plans are underway to create a complete line of TPL merchandise which will be available on our App. These will also be given to the players and academies who are performing well on the App,” said Kunal.
Driven by interest
It is a genuine interest in the growth of tennis that drives the league and all the associated efforts. The most glamorous Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket is the permanent role model for every aspiring league. Tennis is no exception.
“Mrunal and I had a dream to create a tennis league on par with the IPL. It sounded impossible when we talked about it in 2018. It had also looked difficult to sustain a tennis league and grow it each year. We have been able to achieve that. It has been a struggle each season. We have faced several difficulties, but each challenge has taught us how to deal with different issues. The difficulties have been successfully tackled. We are now hoping that with the love, support and blessings of the tennis fraternity, we will be able to achieve our dream of taking tennis to every home,” said Kunal.
Tennis Premier League for sure adds considerable value to the game in the country.
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