This winter get set to witness tennis in India taking a giant leap. The AITA is in the initial stages of drawing up plans for the Indian Tennis League.
A six-city competition figuring some of the game’s past greats could begin this November
NEW DELHI: This winter get set to witness tennis in India taking a giant leap. The AITA is in the initial stages of drawing up plans for the Indian Tennis League — a six-city competition figuring some of the past international greats. If AITA secretary Anil Khanna’s plans fructify, the likes of Boris Becker, Mats Wilander, Bjorn Borg, Goran Ivanisevic and company may be playing on Indian soil as the marquee players for six club teams.
The competing teams will be named after the game’s hubs: Bangalore, Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Chennai. A team will have four players — two men and two women with one of each being from abroad. The thrust is to get past greats amongst the men while looking for present top-100 ranked women players. These and the best Indian players are slated to be divided on the basis of an IPL-like auction. Davis Cup captain Leander Paes has already signed on the dotted line expressing his availability.
“We want to use the league to promote tennis as a club sport like in Europe. We want the clubs to begin grooming players who will then represent them in this event. The healthy rivalry will spark off heightened interest in tennis,” says Khanna. “Precise structure and the monetary details are yet to be worked out but the broad plan is to start with six clubs and a two-week event this November.”
Added Paes, “This league is a step in the right direction to get our players heightened exposure in the press while fostering a club culture which will promote tennis. I fully endorse this concept and will try and help the AITA contact players abroad.” The inspiration for the ITL is obviously from the success of cricket’s ICL and IPL. “Our league, however, is more oriented towards involving the large mass of lay players who play tennis for recreation. We want to encourage more clubs to put up teams and the monies involved are going to be nowhere near cricket. Initially there will be six teams but we intend to expand this to encompass the whole nation and then look to make a multi-tiered league that unfolds throughout the year,” adds Khanna.
The exact dates and logistics of the ITL are still hazy but if the plan comes good, Khanna may have well ushered in a revolution. As of now while there are enough quality tournaments for professional players, there is hardly anything that can foster affinity towards players in their own cities. The ITL intends to tap and divert mass support that team games like cricket and football enjoy into an individualistic sport like tennis by encouraging a club culture. If it comes through, it will be one of the most original ideas in Indian tennis for a long, long time.
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