Rafael Nadal entered into a partnership with Mahesh Bhupathi for their respective tennis academies on Thursday to identify talents in India and offer them the opportunity to receive expert coaching at the former's academy in Spain.
Through the collaboration, Mahesh Bhupathi Tennis Academies (MBTA) will facilitate the admission of talented young tennis professionals a chance join the Rafa Nadal Academy from next year in Manacor, Spain.
Selected players will have the opportunity to join the training programme for a specific period of time in the academy slated to start in May, 2016.
"We try to help the kids to become better tennis players, and help them to become best possible in tennis and help them create their own stories with their lives. This idea is right at the centre of my foundation. The thing that we're trying to do is to give opportunities to the kids to learn from the best to have a better life and help them learn the technicalities that go into the game," Nadal, the World No.5 said on Thursday.
"MBTA's presence across India, their approach to promoting tennis at the grassroots level and their fundamental training will allow us to reach out to kids all across and pick budding talent," the 14-time Major winner added.
"We're just happy to be here. In Manacor, we have education inside the schools for the universities, but this is taking it to the professional level. We have a gym, a medical centre, a swimming pool, and a big stadium, and basically everything that a kid will need to prepare themselves for the future," he added.
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Bhupathi said the initiative will be a great learning experience for budding professionals.
"At MBTA, our primary aim is to identify raw talent and nurture them to give youngsters the opportunity to take up sports as a career. Tennis is a game that has garnered enough followers and is creating a niche for itself with fans coming forward to watch their favourite idols playing live," Bhupathi said.
"This initiative will give youngsters a chance to not only interact with their favourite idol Rafael Nadal, but also learn from him."