Ahmedabad: The Tennis Premier League’s grassroot initiative arrived in the vibrant city of Ahmedabad with the Gujarat Open ahead of its highly anticipated fifth season. The Gujarat Open was hosted at the Ahmedabad Racquet Academy (ARA), situated on Sindhu Bhavan Marg in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The venue was brimming with the positivity and enthusiasm of aspiring tennis players who were ready to fight for every point on the court to secure the coveted prizes on offer by the Tennis Premier League (TPL) powered by Clear.
Mr. Ramku Patgir, the owner of the Gujarat Panthers was present at the grassroots event and was accompanied by Iconic Indian tennis Coach, Mr Sunil Vyas, the mentor of the Gujarat Panthers to observe and assess the talent that came to test their skills. Additionally, Mr. Shrimal Bhatt, the General Secretary of the Gujarat State Tennis Association (GSTA), and Mr. Nayan Shah, Founder and CEO of Clear Water graced the event with their presence as they spurred the aspiring tennis players during the matches. The extremely driven Co-Founder of the Tennis Premier League, Mr. Kunal Thakkur and Mr. Mrunal Jain were present at the event also.
The Tennis Premier League has brought more attention to the whole tennis community. The league not only promotes tennis at the grassroots level but also permits the private sector to invest in top-tier Indian tennis players in order to become the country’s next tennis champions. The Gujarat Open was the first of one such grassroot tournament out of the 600 that the league plan to organise through their newly launched mobile application. The event also presented a sublime opportunity for the TPL to spread awareness about the TPL Mobile Application which is fast becoming the one-stop solution for the tennis community in the nation and strengthening the sport at all levels.
Shalvi Dalal, was the winner from the Girl’s U14 category as she defeated Jenso Kanabar with ease, trouncing her 17-3 in the final and she was awarded a Yonex racquet worth Rs. 12,000 to help on her journey of becoming a professional player. In the Boy’s U14 category, Kabir Parmar took the crown as he defeated Hem Shah in the final that ended 12-8, he also was presented with Yonex racquet worth Rs. 12,000. Prashant Chhatrapati and Harsh Lakhisarani emerged victorious in the 30+ Doubles category; they defeated Harshvardhan Khirani and Vaidik Munshaw in the final that ended 11-9, the winning pair was awarded Rs. 10,000.
Mr. Sunil Vyas, expressed his jubilation at the turnout for the TPL Gujarat Open as he said, “It was wonderful to see the talent on exhibit today. Some of the players actually possessed all the abilities required to succeed at the highest level of tennis as they put in stunning performances today. Ahmedabad has a lot of amazing talent and is a sporting city in which young athletes are encouraged to pursue their dreams. Through today’s Tennis Premier League Gujarat Open, I’m confident that we have discovered some hidden gems of tennis from the region.”
Mr. Shrimal Bhatt also expressed his delight as he said, “It is wonderful to see a league like the Tennis Premier League effectively promoting tennis in India and providing the sport the much-needed support. Many young tennis players will undoubtedly have the ideal opportunity to develop not only as players but also as people thanks to TPL’s Gujarat Open. The exceptional work Kunal and Mrunal have done for tennis can be highlighted through their latest innovation of the TPL App that will revolutionise the tennis community in India.”
Mr. Ramku Patgir, who is also the President of Globomotive India and CEO of Moveaal in addition to being the owner of the Gujarat Panthers said, “Tennis has always been one of my favorite sports. I was presented with a fantastic opportunity to get more involved in tennis and contribute to its growth in India through the Tennis Premier League. The TPL’s grassroot initiative will undoubtedly have a significant positive impact on the aspiring athletes who participated here today. I am sure the league will allow a new generation of tennis superstars from India to be discovered.”
