Dubai: Former India cricket captain and legendary batsman Sunil Gavaskar has called for tennis lovers to enjoy the oncoming International Premier Tennis League (IPTL) action to be held at one of its four venues, Singapore.
The Indian Premier League-style league, featuring former and current ATP and WTA players representing franchises in four Asian cities — Manila, Singapore, Delhi and Dubai — will be held from November 28 to December 13.
Speaking at the announcement of the participating players, team owners and the unveiling of the Singapore Indoor stadium, which will be the venue for the Singapore Slammers franchise, Gavaskar said: “I am sure tennis lovers will be in for a feast of top-class tennis. The IPTL is a great idea and with the best tennis players in the world taking part, it should be a wonderfully entertaining experience for tennis lovers.”
He added: “Singapore has always been a sports-loving nation and it is therefore an honour and pleasure to be a co owner of the Singapore franchise ‘the Singapore Slammers’.”
The IPTL will feature four teams in the inaugural season — the UAE Royals, Team Manila, the Indian Aces and Singapore Slammers — and they will compete for the total prize money of USD 1 million.
The Singapore Team owners made up of a group of tennis enthusiastic business men like Shashi Kiran Shetty, Ajay Sethi and Kishan Gehlot, attended the press conference to present their “Slammers” marquee players Serena Williams and Andre Agassi.
They will be joined by Tomas Berdych, Daniela Hantuchova, Bruno Soares, Australian legends Lleyton Hewitt, Patrick Rafter and the up-and-coming young star from Down Under, Nick Kyrgios.
The Singapore Slammers will take on UAE Royals, Team Manila and the Indian “Aces
from December 2 to 4 at Singapore Indoor stadium. Tickets will go on sale from August 20 through the traditional ticket outlets of the SIS www.sportshub.com.sg.
“It is time for innovation in tennis. We hope the fanfare IPL has brought to cricket, the IPTL will bring for tennis,” said Indian doubles legend Mahesh Bhupathi, founder of the IPTL.
