Mumbai, March 10 (IANS) Having hosted major international events like the ATP Tour 250, WTA 125, and PMR Challenger tournaments consistently for five years, the Directorate of Sports and Youth Services, Maharashtra, together with the ATP Organising Committee, has chosen to extend tennis development directly to district levels in partnership with the Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association (MSLTA).
Under this new initiative, 20 international tournaments sanctioned by the International Tennis Federation (ITF), with prize money of USD 15,000 and USD 25,000, will be held across different districts in the state. This effort aims to greatly enhance tennis at the grassroots and district levels, offering Indian players more chances to earn important world ranking points and gain recognition worldwide.
Speaking on the occasion, MSLTA President Prashant Suta, at the press conference, stated, “This initiative marks the first significant step in my tenure as MSLTA President to ensure tennis is no longer confined to metropolitan cities but reaches rural and district-level players across Maharashtra. By hosting ITF tournaments on home soil, we want to give our players the right exposure and infrastructure without the financial burden of overseas travel.”
Besides MSLTA President Prashant Sutar, the event was attended by Secretary Sunder Iyer, Ashish Sharma (IAS), Chairman of the ITF Tournament Initiative, and Shravan Hardikar (IAS), Managing Director of MMRDA and Secretary of the ITF Tournament Initiative.
Currently, Indian players frequently have to travel abroad to enhance their world rankings and qualify for Challenger-level tournaments, which incurs significant financial costs that many cannot afford. Now that ITF tournaments are being hosted within Maharashtra, Indian players have a valuable opportunity to earn essential ranking points right on home soil.
The Government of Maharashtra, via the Urban Development Department, has issued a special GR to support this initiative. Tournaments will take place in cities that already have sufficient tennis infrastructure or where new facilities are scheduled for development.
The prize money for these tournaments will be funded by the five per cent sports allocation in the annual budgets of municipal corporations. Additional financial support will be raised through partnerships with local industries and institutions.
To facilitate smooth implementation, district-level committees will be established under the leadership of Municipal Commissioners, District Collectors, and Superintendents of Police. The State Government has designated Ashish Sharma (IAS) as Chairman and Shravan Hardikar (IAS) as Secretary for the ITF tournament initiative.
Ashish Sharma (IAS), Chairman for the ITF Tournament Initiative, said, “We are partnering with MSLTA to develop tennis and build a robust ecosystem from the ground up. This will empower districts to host world-class events, fostering talent and infrastructure that positions Maharashtra as a tennis powerhouse.”
Shravan Hardikar (IAS), Managing Director, MMRDA and Secretary for the ITF tournament initiative, added, “Alongside the ITF events, we are also organising All India-level junior tournaments in the preceding week, so juniors can come, play, and also watch the seniors in action. Our aim is to ensure more players get into the sport at the grassroots level so that we can have more players from Maharashtra shine in the future.”
This five-year plan demonstrates the Government’s dedication to elevating Maharashtra tennis on the international stage. The initial tournament will take place in Mumbai at MSLTA from March 15 to 22, then move to Nagpur from March 22 to 29, and finally in Sambhajinagar from March 29 to April 5.
–IANS
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