Pune: 2022 Wimbledon men’s doubles champion Matthew Ebden on Monday was announced as the marquee player for Tennis Premier League (TPL) apart from being appointed as its international spokesperson for Season Four of the tournament.
“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,” said Ebden, who won Wimbledon men’s doubles title with fellow Australian Max Purcell.
India tennis legend Leander Paes, who was Ebden’s doubles partner on the tour in 2021 and owns Mumbai Leon Army team, beamed with excitement about fourth season of Tennis Premier League.
“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,” said Paes.
The star-studded competition is set to begin on December 7 and conclude on December 11 with all matches to take place at the Balewadi Stadium in Pune. Eight franchises will compete for the prized trophy: Bengaluru Spartans, Chennai Stallions, Delhi Binny’s Brigade, Finecab Hyderabad Strikers, Gujarat Panthers, Mumbai Leon Army and Pune Jaguars while the final franchise will be announced soon.
The player draft for the 2022 season of the Tennis Premier League will be held in August. Through the tournament, a few upcoming Indian stars will also get the chance to rub shoulders with some of the finest players in the world. It also intends to stage a talent scouting event in October in four cities – Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad and Gujarat.
Each team will get one wild card entry from these talent scouting events. All eight franchises will play a total of four matches to qualify for the semi-finals. Each match between two franchises will have a total of four games (men’s singles, women’s singles, mixed doubles and men’s doubles).
Each game will be worth 20 points, which means a total of 80 points will be at stake in each match. Each team will play for a total of 320 points (80 points x four matches) at the league stage. One player can only play two games in every match. The top four teams in the points table will qualify for the semifinals.
“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,” said Sunder Iyer, joint secretary of All India Tennis Association and Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association.
(IANS)
