New Tennis League Receiving Interest From Top Stars

Written by: Staff on 28th May 2013

New Tennis League Receiving Interest From Top Stars

epa03714838 Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic speaks during a press conference, at Roland Garros Stadium, in Paris, France, 24 May 2013. The 2013 French Open tennis tournament starts on 26 May. EPA/CHRISTOPHE KARABA |

Conjecture has been widespread since Bob Larson’s Daily Tennis News first carried reports about the proposed International Tennis Premier League, based on the same concept as cricket’s successful Indian Premier League, back in March. Now things are official after an official launch in Paris on the eve of the French Open and the projected launch date is late 2014 with lucrative competition set to severely bite into the much guarded off-season.

Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic are among the band of leading players who have publicly pledged to take part in the brainchild of soon-to-retire Indian doubles player and successful businessman Mahesh Bhupathi.

Some see the ITPL as precisely the sort of television friendly innovation that tennis needs to try and keep up in an increasingly competitive sports marketing place and something that will bring new fans to the game. Matches will be short, excitement high, the team concept will add interest and top men and women players will compete alongside veteran legends.

Others maintain it will seriously erode the amount of much needed time for players to rest and recharge their batteries. Even though Tennis Australia is publicly backing the plan, the risk of players being injured for the Australian Open, traditionally played in the last two weeks of January, is much greater.

Bhupathi, Boris Becker and Justin Gimelstob, a member of the ATP World Tour’s Board of Directors, investors in the launch that revealed the inaugural season will consist of six teams from six cities in Asia. Currently Bangalore, Kolkata, Osaka, Tokyo, Beijing, Singapore, Manila, Hong Kong, Dubai and Doha are cities in the running for the league and Bhupathi hopes to add on to the number of teams in the coming years.

A draft where each team can auction about six to ten players will take place in January at Melbourne, just before the Australian Open.

Apart from Djokovic, Murray and Nadal, Bhupathi has signed men’s top ten players Tomas Berdych, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Janko Tipsarevic. Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Victoria Azarenka, Li Na, Caroline Wozniacki and Sam Stosur have reportedly been signed among the women.

The total salaries would cost each team between $4 and $10 million with the top players expected to earn in excess of $1 million. There will be five categories of players, each with their own base price. Players will be slotted on the basis of ranking, popularity and potential.

Bhupathi said: “We’ve signed multiple players across all categories and expect to have over 100 players signed and available on the day of the draft for owners to pick from.”

A draft where each team can auction about six to ten players will take place in January at Melbourne, just before the Australian Open.

Bhupathi said: “We’ve signed multiple players across all categories and expect to have over 100 players signed and available on the day of the draft for owners to pick from.”

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Topics: Andy Murray, Boris Becker, Indian Premier League, International Tennis Premier League, Justin Gimelstob, Mahesh Bhupathi, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Tennis Australia