New Delhi, Nov 15 (NationPress) The Tennis Premier League (TPL) Race to Gold Masters tournament commenced its inaugural leg at the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association (DLTA) this Saturday. Kicking off with the North Zone in Delhi, the competition is set to unfold across three locations, including Gujarat (November 2 and 23) and Mumbai (November 29 and 30), in collaboration with the respective state tennis associations.

This initiative by TPL serves as a vital platform for up-and-coming tennis talent, allowing them to display their abilities through TPL’s distinctive and engaging 25-point format. The goal is to discover India's tennis talent pool and contribute to the development of a strong domestic ecosystem for the sport.

Each top-ranked player in the Race to Gold Masters Zones across U10 Boys & Girls, U12 Boys & Girls, U14 Boys & Girls, and Men’s & Women’s Open categories will be awarded scholarships valued at ₹75,000. To honor their accomplishments, the winners will be celebrated live on television during the upcoming seventh season of the Tennis Premier League, scheduled to take place in Ahmedabad from December 9 to 14.

The winners will also have the chance to engage with Indian tennis legends Leander Paes and Rohan Bopanna and compete alongside elite players in TPL Season 7, including Luciano Darderi, Arthur Rinderknech, Corentin Moutet, Alexandre Muller, Sahaja Yamalapalli, and Shrivalli Bhamidipaty.

Kunal Thakkur, Co-Founder of the Tennis Premier League, expressed, "The Tennis Premier League (TPL) believes that the league's growth is intertwined with the advancement of tennis in India, and we are committed to supporting this cause. The 'Race to Gold' initiative is directly motivated by India's aspiration to host the 2036 Olympics in Ahmedabad. We deemed it crucial to launch a program aimed at nurturing players capable of winning an Olympic medal in tennis, similar to Leander Paes' bronze achievement."

Mrunal Jain, Co-Founder of the Tennis Premier League, remarked, "By nurturing players at the U10, U12, and U14 levels now, they will be poised to peak in the next decade, aligning perfectly with the Olympics. This initiative enables young talents to be recognized by tennis legends, witness top-50 world players live, and learn directly from them on the court, which is vital for strengthening our domestic ecosystem."

The seventh season of the Tennis Premier League is set to be hosted in Ahmedabad from December 9 to 14 at the Gujarat University Tennis Stadium.