PUNE: The franchise based Tennis Premier League (TPL) is returning for its fourth season later this year. The competition is set to begin on December 7 and conclude on December 11.
The tournament will take place in Pune at the Balewadi Stadium. In the fourth season of Tennis Premier League, eight franchises will compete for the trophy: Bengaluru Spartans, Chennai Stallions, Delhi Binny’s Brigade, Finecab Hyderabad Strikers, Gujarat Panthers, Mumbai Leon Army and Pune Jaguars.
One franchise will soon be announced, the organisers declared.
TPL’s player draft for the 2022 season is set to take place next month. The organisers also intend to stage a talent scouting event in October in four cities – Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad and Gujarat, an official release states. Each team will get one wild card entry from these talent scouting events.
The format
All 8 franchises will play a total of 4 matches to qualify for the semi-final. Each match between two franchises will have 4 games (Men’s Singles, Women’s Singles, Mixed Doubles and Men’s Doubles). Each game will be worth 20 points, thus there will be a total of 80 points at stake in each match. Each team will play for a maximum 320 points (80 points x 4 matches) at the league stage. The top 4 teams in the points table will qualify for the semi-finals. One player can only play two games in every match.
International ‘spokesperson’
The new 2022 Wimbledon men’s doubles champion Matthew Ebden will be the marquee player for TPLK and has been appointed as its international “spokesperson”.
Speaking about the upcoming event fresh off his Grand Slam win, the popular Australian ace said: “2022 has been the standout year of my career and at this time, I am delighted to be joining the TPL family to help extend this riveting form and grow its awareness internationally.
“I’ve always had a special connection with India and shared great relations with Indian tennis players on tour and huge appreciation for the passion Indians have for tennis. Naturally, I am super excited to return to the country and be a part of this, especially in Pune where I have fond memories. India has so much potential and I hope to witness and inspire some young rising talent during my visit.”
Indian legend Leander Paes, owner of Mumbai Leon Army and who was Matt Ebden’s doubles partner on the tour in 2021, commented on TPL 4: “I am pumped up to hear this news. I am excited about the talent that is coming to the league this season, which will probably make this the most competitive edition. I am elated that Tennis Premier League is organising a scouting event to give back to the community and find hidden gems at the grass-root level.
Sunder Iyer, joint secretary of the All India Tennis Association and Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association, noted: “I am excited for the fourth season of the Tennis Premier League, especially since they are packaging it into a highly entertaining format for the fans. The league has made significant contributions to the growth of grassroots tennis in India, and we will keep doing so. With Tennis Premier League, we hope to make India a global force in tennis and provide young children with role models. I would also like to thank the city of Pune for hosting this wonderful tournament.”
