AITA to host a string of international events at home

As usual, Maharashtra heads the lively action, as it would be putting up events, for a total prize purse of $3,80,000. Karnataka and Tamil Nadu follow with $2,30,000 and $1,25,000 respectively.

REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE: There will also be events in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Delhi, Chandigarh and Telangana. | Photo Credit: GETTY IMAGES

The strong state units of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu will once again step up to host three ATP Challenger men’s tennis tournaments in February next year.

The secretary general of the All India Tennis Association (AITA), Anil Dhupar, made the announcement in a release on Monday, emphasising that there would be a total of about one million dollars in prize money for men’s and women’s events till March 2024.

Apart from the three Challengers, MSLTA is scheduled to host the $125,000 WTA event in Mumbai in February.

There will also be ITF events for men and women with different quantum of prize money, ranging from $15,000 to $40,000.

“I hope our players make the most of the chance to compete at home, in terms of earning valuable international ranking points and prize money. Our players, men, women and juniors can compete at home for about six months, and save on the big cost of international travel”, said Anil Dhupar.

As usual, Maharashtra heads the lively action, as it would be putting up events, for a total prize purse of $3,80,000. Karnataka and Tamil Nadu follow with $2,30,000 and $1,25,000 respectively.

There will also be events in Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Delhi, Chandigarh and Telangana.

There will be plenty of ITF junior events of different grades in the country, in Delhi, Kolkata, Pune, Chandigarh, Guwahati, Indore, Madurai, Gurugram, Dehradun and Raipur.

“We expect many of our players to go up in ranking. The tournaments in India will also help our international officials with gainful employment over the next six months”, Dhupar said.

In the current cycle, Mumbai is hosting a $25,000 men’s event this week. It will be followed by another $25,000 event for men in Kalaburagi. The women’s $25,000 event this week in Bengaluru will be followed by a $15,000 women’s event in Ahmedabad.

Like every year, MSLTA will host $25,000 and $40,000 women’s events in Solapur and Navi Mumbai in December.

Mandya, Bhopal and Chennai are scheduled to host three $25,000 events for men in January, which would serve as the preparation for the ensuing Challengers.