It was a legend in their midst and not a word he uttered fell on deaf ears. “Hyderabad is a tremendous tennis town,” said Vijay Amritraj, announcing the franchise that will represent the historic city in the Champions Tennis League (CTL), a six-city tournament to be played across India from November 15 to 26.
Hyderabad Aces, comprising ex-Wimbledon champion Mark Philippoussis, former world No. 1 Martina Hingis, world No. 8 Mikhail Youzhny and India’s Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan, will take on Bangalore and Pune at the Lal Bahadur Stadium Tennis Complex here on November 17 and 18, and away on November 21 and 23 respectively.
“The CTL was squeezed into a 10-day window that offered a break from the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) calendars.
“The three teams from the north and as many from the south are even, each of the foreign players being either a Grand Slam winner, finalist or ranked between five and 25 in the world and the lone Indian, a Davis Cupper,” Vijay Amritraj said.
When asked whether junior players, by not being fielded in the tournament, were being deprived of invaluable experience, the suave sports commentator replied, “Juniors travelling with the team in the company of, say, Martina Hingis will only be inspired.”
On what set the CTL apart, he said it would be totally India-centric.
Each contest would consist of five sets, including one legends’, men’s, women’s singles and men’s doubles with a tie-breaker applied at five-all with no ‘ad’ game. The aggregate of games won would decide the winner, making even the last set crucial.
As for the finances, he said the aim was to make the event economically viable, with franchises coming forward on their own and not through auctions or bidding.
Rajesh Raju and Dr. K. Rama Raju, owners of Hyderabad Aces said it was a matter of pride to be associated with Amritraj. Telangana Tennis Association president, Telangana IT and Panchayat Raj Minister K. Tarakarama Rao said, “ours is the youngest State and this is an opportunity for us. Leisure events like the CTL are a must for Hyderabad’s growth as a metropolis.”
Meanwhile, Prakash Amritraj said a reconstructive shoulder surgery had ruled him out for a year.
