MUMBAI: The organisers of the upcoming second edition of the franchise based Tennis Premier League (TPL) have added a third celebrity to the league’s ownership roster.
After earlier announcing that Indian tennis legend Leander Paes will have a stake in the Mumbai franchise and Bollywood actor Sonali Bendre will also co-own a franchisee, the organisers declared that actor Rakul Preet Singh had bought a stake in TPL’s Finecab Hyderabad Strikers team.
“I am very happy and excited to be a part of this league which is taking place under the auspices of AITA (All India Tennis Association) and MSLTA (Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association),” ANI quotes Rakul Preet as having said.
Adding further she informed: “It is the only league to promote young boys (U-14) and girl (U-18) by giving them this platform. I come from an army background and know the importance of sports in all spheres of life. I am happy that I will be doing my bit for tennis which is a great sport and needs a boost in our country.”
When asked about her decision to opt for the Hyderabad franchise despite the fact that she hails from Delhi, the actor said: “I have a very special connect with Hyderabad as I started my career there and so I decided to take on the Hyderabad team which will be mentored by Narendranath who has coached Sania Mirza.”
TPL will be held from December 12 to 15 at the Celebration Sports Club in Andheri, Mumbai. A total of eight teams featuring 88 players, across categories, will be in action.
The teams in TPL will comprise men’s and women’s players, besides girl’s under-18, boys under-14 and Wheelchair participants.
The under-18 girls and under-14 boys players will be picked through talent hunts in four cities. Talent days will be held in Ahmedabad and Mumbai on October 20 and 23, while in Hyderabad and Delhi on November 3 and 10 respectively. Registrations for talent days will commence on August 5 and end on October 5.
Founded by former national player Kunal Thakkur and actor/entrepreneur Mrunal Jain, the first edition of the league had Aishwarya Rai Bachan and Paes as team ambassadors / owners.
With a total prize fund of Rs 6 million, the event will see Arjun Khade leading the men’s field while Ankita Raina will be the top female player in the tournament.
The League is affiliated with All India Tennis Association (AITA) and will be conducted under the auspices of Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA).
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