Mumbai, Oct 9 (NationPress) Indian tennis legend and brand ambassador of Gurgaon Grand Slammers, Sania Mirza, shared her enthusiasm as the next edition of the Tennis Premier League (TPL) approaches. She highlighted the league's increasing prominence and its significant role in cultivating future tennis champions in India.

The Gurgaon Grand Slammers, under the guidance of Corentin Moutet (World No. 38), have recruited Nuria Parrizas Diaz, a seasoned singles competitor who peaked at a career-high ranking of 45 in 2022, for ₹6 lakh. Their auction day was marked by the acquisition of Sriram Balaji (World No. 78 in doubles) for ₹12 lakh, the maximum permissible bid, making him the joint-most expensive player of the auction.

Sania expressed her excitement about joining a new team this season and her belief in the squad’s capabilities.

“We are very excited. I am part of a new team. The goal is to try to win. We already have an icon player with us who is exceptionally skilled and ranked top 40 in the world. So we are really looking forward to the option,” the six-time Grand Slam champion shared with IANS on Thursday.

A pioneer in women’s tennis in India, Sania has been involved with the TPL for several years and acknowledged the league's critical role in advancing the sport at the grassroots level.

“The more champions you witness, the more champions you cultivate. The more belief systems you establish, and this tournament has been running for 7 years. It’s quite an achievement to have an international tournament grow to this extent since its inception in 2018,” she noted.

Since its launch in 2018, the TPL has rapidly evolved, providing Indian tennis players with a platform to gain exposure alongside international talents. Sania applauded the league's influence and reaffirmed her pride in being associated with it.

“I've been fortunate enough to be part of it for the last few years. I truly believe that tournaments and leagues like this are essential for fostering our own champions,” she concluded.