Mumbai, 2nd Feb 2024; In a visionary move, Tennis Premier League in association with MSLTA (Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association), DLTA (Delhi Lawn Tennis Association) & GSTA (Gujarat State Tennis Association) has launched Race to Gold (RTG), an initiative aimed at unearthing India’s tennis gems and providing them with sponsorship. This groundbreaking program aims not just to discover talent but to nurture it, year after year, creating a legacy of excellence in Indian tennis.

The first and the last Olympic medal for India in Tennis dates back to 1996 when Leander Paes clinched bronze. With Race to Gold, TPL aims to reignite India’s Olympic aspirations by nurturing a new generation of champions. This effort aims to support 72 talented tennis players, providing them with sponsorship opportunities and working towards creating a more inclusive and competitive tennis community

Kunal Thakkur, Co-Founder of Tennis Premier League, expressed his enthusiasm for the project, stating, “At TPL, we believe in nurturing talent from the grassroots level. Race to Gold is our commitment to empowering young tennis enthusiasts and providing them with the resources and exposure they need to shine on the world stage. By leveraging the TPL App, we ensure that no talent, no matter how remote, eludes our attention. ”

Highlighting the transformative nature of the initiative, Mrunal Jain Co-Founder of TPL, emphasizes, “The Race to Gold Initiative serves as a gateway for young talents to enter the world of professional tennis. We believe in the power of competition to bring out the best in our players. Ranking tournaments not only identify talent but also foster a spirit of healthy rivalry and camaraderie among participants. The legacy of Indian tennis runs deep within TPL’s ethos. From nurturing budding talents to celebrating historic achievements, we are committed to shaping the future of Indian tennis.

The scholarship, worth 75,000 INR, includes an advanced tennis racquet, a professional kit bag, a pair of shoes, jackets, strings, personalized jerseys, overgrips, caps, wristbands, socks, and slippers. Additionally, selected players will enjoy an exclusive player experience, including accommodation, food, and beverage for 2 days and 1 night at the TPL venue for the player plus one accompanying person (coach or parent). The experience also includes a session with a tennis legend, felicitation on live TV, and the opportunity to play a TPL format match against top players.

Leander Paes, an icon in tennis, expressed his endorsement for the ‘Race To Gold’ program of TPL, stating, “TPL’s commitment to nurturing young talents and promoting district participation in the ‘Race To Gold’ initiative is a testament to its impactful vision. This also signifies a purposeful step towards grassroots development. I believe it’s a significant stride for tennis in our country, and I am proud to support such initiatives that shape the future of the sport.”
The “Race To Gold” scholarship program will extend its reach to 8 major cities across India, including Mumbai, Pune , Gujarat, Delhi, Punjab, Bengaluru, Kolkata, and Hyderabad. Eligible categories for selection include Under 10 Boys & Girls, Under 12 Boys & Girls, Under 14 Boys & Girls, Men’s Open, and Women’s Open.

Sumit Nagal, the most expensive player of the Tennis Premier League Season 5 auction, shared his thoughts on the initiative.  “TPL’s purposeful assembly of the top 72 talents as national tennis gems is truly praiseworthy. The initiative’s inclusion of district participation in the u10, u12, u14, and open categories is sure to elicit enthusiasm for the growth of tennis. I eagerly anticipate to see this journey grow more in the coming future.”

Sunder Iyer Honorable Secretary of Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association and Joint Secretary of All India Tennis Association, shares “Over the years, TPL has played a crucial role in providing opportunities, exposure, and support to Indian players by placing them at the forefront of promoting Indian tennis. Now, TPL believes that by providing opportunities and support at the grassroots level, it can pave the way for a new generation of tennis stars to emerge. MSLTA is very focused on developing the grassroot level of tennis in Maharashtra and District ranking tournaments will be very helpful in the same.”

Pune, 14th December 2023: The third day of season 5 of the the Tennis Premier League powered by Clear (TPL) witnessed hotly contested matches which featured blockbuster action.

The first fixture of Day 3 of season 5 of Tennis Premier League was kicked -off with Punjab Patriots going up against Gujarat Panthers. Conny Perrin of the Punjab Patriots clashed with Ekaterina Yashina of the Gujarat Panthers in the Women’s Single Category. The game ended in a 10-all draw. Digvijay Pratap Singh of the Punjab Patriots lost to Sumit Nagal of the Gujarat Panthers 7-13 in the Men’s Singles Category. Conny Perrin and Arjun Khade of the Punjab Patriots beat Ekaterina Yashina and Mukund Sashikumar of the Gujarat Panthers in the Mixed Doubles category as the game ended 11-9. The final game of the match was the Men’s Doubles Category, in which Digvijay Pratap Singh and  Arjun Khade of the Punjab Patriots took on Sumit Nagal and Mukund Sashikumar of the Gujarat Panthers. The game ended 9-11 in favour of the Gujarat Panthers. The Panthers emerged victorious from the match as it ended 37-43 in their favour. Sumit Nagal was adjudged to be the best player of the match as he led the charge for the Gujarat Panthers.

The second fixture of Day 3 saw the Mumbai Leon Army clash with the Hyderabad Strikers. The Co-owner of the Hyderabad Strikers, Rakul Preet Singh was present in the dugout cheering her team on. Sowjanya Bavisetti of Mumbai Leon Army lost to Ellen Perez of Hyderabad Strikers, 9-11, in the Women’s Singles Category. In the Men’s Singles Category,  Ernest Gulbis of the Mumbai Leon Army beat Niki Poonacha of Hyderabad Strikers, as the scores at the end of the match read 11-9. Sowjanya Bavisetti and Vijay Sundar Prashanth of the Mumbai Leon Army drew with  Ellen Perez and Saketh Myneni of the Hyderabad Strikers, in a 10-all draw in the Mixed Doubles category. Ernest Gulbis and Vijay Sundar Prashanth of Mumbai Leon Army beat Saketh Myneni and Niki Poonacha of Hyderabad Strikers, in the Men’s Doubles Category which was a closely contested affair that ended 11-9. Mumbai Leon Army edged past the Hyderabad Strikers as the match ended 41-39 in favour of the Mumbai team. Vijay Sundar Prashanth was awarded the player of the match for his brilliant performance in the Doubles.

The second last fixture of Day 3 was between the Pune Jaguars and the Bengal Wizards. The match started with the Women’s Singles Category, in which Diana Marcinkevica of Pune Jaguars lost to Maria Timofeeva from Bengal Wizards, in a clash that ended 7-13. Lukas Rosol of Pune Jaguars and Sriram Balaji of the Bengal Wizards went head-to-head in an entertaining Men’s Singles game that ended 11-9 in favour of the Czech Ace. It was followed by the Mixed Doubles game that saw Diana Marcinkevica and Rithvik Bollipalli of the Pune Jaguars lose convincingly to Maria Timofeeva and Anirudh Chandrasekar of the Bengal Wizards which ended 6-14. In the Men’s Doubles Category, Rithvik Bollipalli and Lukas Rosol of the Pune Jaguar took on  Sriram Balaji and Anirudh Chandrasekar of the Bengal Wizards. The Bengal Wizards duo came out on top with a score of 9-11. Bengal Wizards won the match, as it ended 33-47 in their favour. Anirudh Chandrasekar of the Bengal Wizards was awarded the player of the match award.

The last fixture of the day saw Delhi Binny’s Brigade go head-to-head against Bengaluru SG Mavericks. In the Women’s Singles, Sahaja Yamalapalli of  Delhi Binny’s Brigade lost to Arina Rodionova of Bengaluru SG Mavericks, 6-14. In the Men’s Singles Category, Dennis Novak of Delhi Binny’s Brigade defeated Ramkumar Ramanathan of the Bengaluru SG Mavericks, which ended 11-9. Sahaja Yamalapalli and Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan of the Delhi Binny’s Brigade took on  Arina Rodionova and Vishnu Vardhan from Bengaluru SG Mavericks in the Mixed Doubles category. The game ended 10-all as neither team came out on top. In the final game of Day 3, Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan and Dennis Novak of Delhi Binny’s Brigade went up against Ramkumar Ramanathan and Vishnu Vardhan from Bengaluru SG Mavericks in the Men’s Doubles Category. The game ended in a 9-11, in favour of the Mavericks. The Bengakur SG Mavericks came out on top in the match after it ended 36-44.  Ramkumar Ramanathan won the player of the match award for his performance for Bengaluru.

On Day 3 of the fourth season of Tennis Premier League spectators inside the stadiums and at home witnessed some enthralling clashes on the magnificent court of the Balewadi Stadium in Pune. Bengal Wizards re-took the top spot in the table after they closed out Day 3 with 129 points. Bengaluru SG Mavericks sat second in the tabel with 127 points. After an excellent Day 3, the Gujarat Panthers sat third in the league table with 123 points, and were closely followed by the Punjab Patriots in the fourth spot with 121 points. The Mumbai Leon Army and Hyderabad Strikers sat 5th and 6th respectively as both teams had amassed 119 points over the first three days of Season 5 of the Tennis Premier League. Delhi Binny’s Brigade sat seventh with 115 points, while the Pune Jaguars remained eight with 107 points.

All the action from the Tennis Premier League being held at Balewadi Stadium can be witnessed live on SONY TEN 2 starting from 4.30pm on the 15th of December 2023.