Leander Paes joins Kolkata franchise as co-owner ahead of Tennis Premier League 2023

Pune Jaguars, Hyderabad Strikers, Bengaluru Spartans and Punjab Tigers are the other teams in the TPL.

Kolkata-born Tennis Icon, Leander Paes and Mr. Yatin Gupte, the Chairman of Wardwizard Group, have come together to acquire a team from the City of Joy, which is set to compete in season 5 of the Tennis Premier League. They will compete against the likes of the Pune Jaguars, co-owned by Sonali Bendre, Hyderabad Strikers, co-owned by Rakul Preet Singh, Bengaluru Spartans whose ambassador is Sania Mirza and Punjab Tigers, co-owned by Taapsee Pannu.

All games of the revolutionary Tennis Premier League will be played in the Balewadi Stadium in Pune in association with the All India Tennis Association (AITA) and Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA).

The owner of the new franchise, Mr.Yatin Gupte, expressed his delight about becoming a part of the Tennis Premier League as he shared, "In terms of recognition and popularity, TPL is the premier competition of Tennis in India,  the level of competition in the league is fantastic. That prompted us to invest in a team that'll take on other competitive teams in the tournament and we are excited to be part of such a wonderful tournament. It also gives us the opportunity to support and invest in Indian tennis, eventually helping elevate the status of tennis in the nation.”

He further added on why the Wardwizard group bought a franchise in the innovative league, he said, “I myself am a massive tennis fan, I want to help the sport grow in the country as much as possible and the Tennis Premier League provides a clear pathway for us to do that. The League with its innovative format is well on the way to transforming the tennis landscape in India and it fills me with joy that we can actively contribute to this objective of shining the spotlight on sport in the country.”

Speaking on why it made sense for him to come on board as the co-owner of the franchise, Indian tennis icon, Leander Paes, said “I am glad to be the face and co-owner of the team as Kolkata is my hometown, it's where I have some of my fondest memories from.

"The South Club in Kolkata is the most iconic tennis venue in the country that has hosted the most number of Davis Cup matches in India and has even produced legendary Indian tennis players such as Jaidip Mukerjea and Zeeshan Ali to name a few. I am sure that the presence of a team from Bengal will make season 5 of the Tennis Premier League even bigger than the previous editions.”