Ahmedabad, Dec 9 (IANS) Tennis Premier League (TPL) Season 7 kicked off with a historic event as two of India’s top tennis icons, Sania Mirza, brand ambassador of Gurgaon Grand Slammers, and Rohan Bopanna, marquee player for SG Pipers, came together on the court for a special exhibition match that thrilled a full house at Gujarat University Tennis Stadium.

In a mixed doubles match, Sania teamed up with Dan Evans from Gurgaon Grand Slammers and beat Bopanna and Shrivalli Bhamidipaty of SG Pipers with a score of 10-6.

Sania was warmly greeted by fans in Ahmedabad and shared her joy at witnessing the sport drawing large crowds across India. This visit held particular significance for her, as she returned to Ahmedabad nearly 30 years after her last appearance here as an under-14 player.

She said, “Thank you, Ahmedabad, for the welcome. Me and Rohan come from a time when there was hardly anybody watching tennis, so to have a stadium full of people is a real pleasure to see. Thank you for welcoming tennis and welcoming TPL here. That’s exactly what TPL does, it grows the sport. It gives opportunities to younger athletes to test themselves against international players. We saw some great tennis today, and hopefully over the coming days you’ll come out and cheer for the home athletes and the ones who have come from outside India.”

Bopanna reiterated these thoughts, emphasising that TPL continues to develop important opportunities for new players. “There’s tremendous experience all these players get by competing in an event like this. Sania and I have always wanted to give back and help young players grow. She has been a fantastic role model, not only in tennis but across sport. It’s amazing that tennis has come to a new city in Ahmedabad, and we’re happy to be here,” Bopanna said.

Sania joked about letting Rohan win the exhibition match during a light-hearted moment before the game. “I haven’t touched a tennis racquet since the 2023 Australian Open final, so I’m just excited to be here. Rohan recently announced his retirement but as you can see from his level today, he can still play for a few more years!” she said with a smile.

The exhibition match acted as a suitable kickoff for TPL Season 7, featuring eight franchises, Rajasthan Rangers, Gurgaon Grand Slammers, Gujarat Panthers, Hyderabad Strikers, GS Delhi Aces, Yash Mumbai Eagles, Chennai Smashers, and SG Pipers Bengaluru, competing for the coveted title.

–IANS

vi/