Rakul Preet Singh, Sonali Bendre express excitement for Tennis Premier League Season 7
Mumbai: Bollywood actors Rakul Preet Singh and Sonali Bendre shared their enthusiasm for the upcoming Tennis Premier League (TPL) Season 7, set to take place in Ahmedabad later this year.
Both stars attended the TPL Season 7 Player Auction held in Mumbai on Thursday.
Speaking to the media, Rakul Preet Singh highlighted the league’s growing influence in promoting tennis across India.
“Every year, the league is getting bigger and stronger. We now have several players ranked in the world’s top 50, which is a huge achievement. The aim has always been to make tennis as popular as cricket, giving other sports a strong platform. Hopefully, by next year, we can take it global,” she said.
Sonali Bendre echoed similar sentiments, praising TPL’s steady progress.
“If the league has reached its seventh season, it clearly means it’s doing well. Sports play a vital role in instilling discipline in children. Just like cricket gave young players exposure and excitement by connecting them with international stars, we hope tennis can do the same,” she noted.
The TPL Season 7 Auction, powered by Clear Premium Water, was held on October 9 in Mumbai, with tennis icons Leander Paes, Sania Mirza, and Mahesh Bhupathi in attendance, alongside league co-founders Kunal Thakkur and Mrunal Jain.
The auction saw intense bidding wars as franchises built their squads for the season, scheduled from December 9 to 14, 2025, at the Gujarat University Tennis Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Among the key signings, SG Pipers Bengaluru, led by doubles legend Rohan Bopanna, signed Shrivalli Bhamidipati, India’s No. 2 singles player and recent Billie Jean King Cup winner, for ₹8.60 lakh, and Ramkumar Ramanathan for ₹7.20 lakh, blending experience with youth.
Defending champions Hyderabad Strikers, captained by Arthur Rinderknech (World No. 54), secured French player Carole Monnet (World No. 205) for ₹10.60 lakh, and re-signed doubles specialist Vishnu Vardhan for ₹6 lakh.
The highest bids of the night went to doubles experts Sriram Balaji and Rithvik Bollipalli, each fetching ₹12 lakh, underscoring the increasing value of seasoned doubles players in shaping competitive teams this season.
