E-Paper
In a decade, Leander Paes may have a host of worthy successors who rewrite India's tennis story at the Olympics
TPL’s Race to Gold scouts 10–14-year-olds nationwide, aiming to build India’s next Olympic stars by 2036, breaking the myth that the sport is only for the elite
The Tennis Premier League (TPL) Race to Gold tournament is on a mission to find and nurture India's next tennis stars who can win medals for the country at Olympics 2036. They have started small, scouting children in the 10-14 age group from across the country and are dreaming big - to create a host of formidable tennis stars from India in a decade. Founders Kunal Thakkur and Mrunal Jain, while emphasising the searing passion and potential they have found in kids aspiring to play professional tennis, strike down a common misconception - that tennis is a game of the elite, saying that the strongest response they found to the game was from India's small towns. HT digs deeper into India's emerging tennis landscape.
It was a typical Delhi afternoon, bright yet hazy, with the sun reduced to a pale disc behind a thick layer of smog that continues to keep residents jittery about the city’s AQI levels. But the pollution did little to dampen the spirits at the RK Khanna Stadium in RK Puram, where a group of parents had gathered enthusiastically last weekend to cheer on their children, any one of whom could one day end India’s long wait for an Olympic medal in 2036, the edition India hopes to host in Ahmedabad. At least this is what Tennis Premier League (TPL) founders Kunal Thakkur and Mrunal Jain believe.
Honing the next Olympic tennis stars
The children's tournament, with a tiered structure, was started last year with one clear goal - to find and nurture India's next tennis stars to win medals for the country at the Olympics. The tournament is linked to the 'Race to Gold' scholarship, which involves INR 75,000 worth of premium tennis kit.
The name, 'Tennis Premier League (TPL) Race to Gold Masters' is telling. "We're calling it the Race to Gold because the Olympics will be held in India in 2036. Leander Paes was the last Indian to win an Olympic tennis medal, and we want to see another tennis player perform well in 2036. Since that’s 11 years from now, we’re targeting players in the under-10, under-12 and under-14 categories. By then, they’ll be 25–26, which is the peak age for a tennis player," said Thakkur.
"We’re hopeful that we can provide the support young players need to develop themselves into Olympic contenders. We’re conducting tournaments at the grassroots level — events are held at the district levels. The winners make it to the Masters event, which is happening today. We have players from Punjab, Haryana and Delhi. The winner receives a scholarship of INR 75,000," Jain added.
Casting a wide net
To create tomorrow's tennis stars, the first step is to find them. And they could be anywhere. This is why TPL is casting a wide net, expanding and diversifying its scouting efforts with each year.
"The plan is to expand gradually. Last year, when the programme started, we conducted four Masters events and selected 32 kids. This year, we selected 48. The goal is not just to hold a Masters at every tier, but to identify talented players from every city and state, and steadily increase the number of kids we support. For example, if we support 48 kids this year, we'll aim for 72 next year. Over the next few years, we hope to see players from Assam, Rajasthan, and other states being selected — truly cherry picking talent from every city and state," Thakkur said.
"We conduct tournaments throughout the year. Last year, we held 250. This year, we expanded our reach to cover small cities and districts. Players earn ranking points from these tournaments and the top four in each category from each city qualify for the Masters," he added.
As TPL scales up, technology comes to the aid. Thakkur confirms that an automated process keeps track of which players make it up the ladder. "It's all automated. All tournaments are listed on the TPL app. When a player competes, they earn ranking points, similar to ITF or ATP points. Based on these rankings, players are selected for the Masters," he added.
Eyes on the prize
While the children selected for the tournament are provided with equipment for an entire year, the most valuable experience for them is participating the in the league, "Imagine watching one of the world's top 30 players like Tomás Martín Etcheverry play up close. Plus, the scholarship and felicitation are done live on television and presented by Leander Paes. Receiving an award from a tennis icon makes the parents proud and leaves a lasting impression on the kids. It's a strong motivator and a meaningful reward for their hard work," Jain said.
"After the felicitation, which is broadcast live on TV, the kids get to interact with Leander for 15–20 minutes, have a session with Rohan Bopanna, and then even hit a few balls or play with some of the top foreign players present at the stadium," he said.
Rise of rural India
Some of India's next tennis stars could well be from a small, rural town. Jain emphasised that it's a misconception that tennis is played only in metro cities. "It's not just the metros, smaller cities are responding very well to tournaments. In reality, when we hold tournaments in places like Bharuch - which not many people know about - we get a high number of entries. Similarly, tournaments in Solapur see robust participation," he said.
Jain said that while TPL hadn't started tennis camps yet, it may be in the works.
When TPL started seven years ago, the goal was to import the tennis craze to India, give players visibility and international exposure and give Indian tennis fans some desi pride. Today, the league seems to have embarked on a bigger goal - nurturing tomorrow's stars and building India's tennis foundation from the ground-up.
