Maharashtra
Announces 20 International ITF Tennis Tournaments Across the State
Mumbai
to host the opening event; Nagpur and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar next in line
Major
Boost for Tennis Development in Maharashtra
Mumbai : In a
major initiative to strengthen tennis at the grassroots level, the Government
of Maharashtra, through the Directorate of Sports and Youth Services,
in association with the ATP Organising Committee and the Maharashtra
State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA), has announced the organisation of 20
International ITF Tennis Tournaments across the state. After successfully
hosting major events such as ATP Tour 250, WTA 125 and PMR Challenger
tournaments over the past five years, the authorities have now decided to
expand international tennis opportunities to district-level centres in
Maharashtra.
International-Level
Opportunities for Indian Players
Under
this initiative, a total of 20 tournaments recognised by the International
Tennis Federation (ITF) will be organised in different districts of the
state. Each tournament will offer prize money of USD 15,000 and USD 25,000.
This step is expected to provide significant opportunities to emerging
players from grassroots and district levels, enabling Indian players to
earn valuable international ranking points and gain exposure at the
global level.
Senior
Officials Present at the Announcement
The
announcement was made during a press conference attended by MSLTA President
Prashant Sutar, Honorary Secretary Sunder Iyer, ITF Tournament
Programme Chairman Ashish Sharma, and MMRDA Managing Director and
Secretary of the initiative Shravan Hardikar. The officials described the
initiative as a landmark step for the growth of tennis in Maharashtra.
Focus
on Grassroots and District-Level Talent
Speaking
on the occasion, Prashant Sutar said that the aim is to ensure that
tennis is not limited only to metropolitan cities but reaches players from
rural areas and district-level centres. He stated that organising
international tournaments within the country will help Indian players compete
at a high level without the heavy financial burden of travelling abroad,
while also giving them access to better exposure and professional
infrastructure.
Government
Support and Structured Implementation
The Urban
Development Department of the Government of Maharashtra has issued a special
government resolution to support this initiative. The tournaments will be
hosted in cities that already have tennis infrastructure or where new
facilities are planned. The prize money will be supported through 5 percent
of the sports allocation from municipal corporation budgets, along with
additional support from local industries and institutions.
District
Committees to Ensure Smooth Execution
To
ensure smooth organisation, district-level committees will be formed
under the leadership of the Municipal Commissioner, District Collector and
Superintendent of Police. The government has appointed Ashish Sharma as
Chairman and Shravan Hardikar as Secretary for the initiative.
Ashish
Sharma stated that the partnership with MSLTA
will help build a strong tennis structure from the grassroots and enable
districts to host international-standard sporting events.
Junior
Tournaments to Inspire Young Players
Shravan
Hardikar also informed that All India junior
tournaments will be organised in the week prior to the ITF events. This
will allow young players to watch senior international players in action and draw
inspiration to pursue the sport seriously.
Tournament
Schedule
Mumbai: 15
to 22 March
Nagpur: 22
to 29 March
Chhatrapati
Sambhajinagar: 29 March to 5 April
This
five-year roadmap reflects the commitment of the Maharashtra Government
to place Maharashtra firmly on the global tennis map, while creating
greater opportunities for Indian players to compete and succeed at the
international level.
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