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The opening day of the Tennis Premier League (TPL) Season 7 served up a series of well-contested games at the Gujarat University Tennis Stadium on Tuesday. Former tennis legend Sania Mirza praised the TPL for providing opportunities for young Indian tennis players, especially girls, to play against the best in the world.
She highlighted Ahmedabad's efforts to promote sports and become the sporting capital of India, citing the upcoming Commonwealth Games as an opportunity to showcase a range of sports and legends. "TPL is definitely a stepping stone. Playing a Grand Slam, winning a Grand Slam, being in the top 100 in singles, or being in the top 10, 20, or 30, is no small feat in this world. It requires a lot of hard work. TPL is providing such opportunities. It's giving the young, especially young Indian girls and boys, the opportunity to play with the best in the world, and it gives them the belief that they can go on. It is a very good thing that Ahmedabad is becoming the sporting capital of this country, and I am pleased about that. Ahmedabad is trying to promote all kinds of sports. Not just cricket, not just tennis, but everything else. With the Commonwealth Games coming up, it will give an opportunity to showcase every single sport where we have the sporting legends that we have in the country," Sania Mirza told the reporters. Taking place in Ahmedabad for the first time, the likes of Rohan Bopanna, Shrivalli Bhamidipaty and Luciano Darderi put on a show for the fans. The matches took place on a charcoal-coloured court, and all eight teams were part of the action on Tuesday. SG Pipers Bengaluru and Rajasthan Rangers began their campaign with wins after the two intense matches. SG Pipers and Gurgaon Grand Slammers took centre stage in the first match of the season, with Sahaja Yamalapalli and Shrivalli Bhamidipaty playing the opening game. Shrivalli Bhamidipaty gave SG Pipers the ideal start with an 18-7 win in the Women's Singles encounter. She then teamed up with Rohan Bopanna in the Mixed Doubles category, continuing her winning run with a hard-fought 14-11 victory against Sahaja and Sriram Balaji. On Tennis Premier League, former Tennis Player, Bopanna, while speaking to the reporters, said, "I think it's amazing that the Tennis Premier League is in Ahmedabad. This format is inspiring because every point is so crucial. You can't take it lightly, the momentum can shift every second. I think it's amazing that such a magnitude of games is coming to India, and especially in Ahmedabad. I think Ahmedabad is a city encouraging sports, and to have an event like the Commonwealth Games right here, I think, will be a boost not only to the city but the entire country." (ANI)
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