Multiple Grand Slam winner Leander Paes today backed the proliferation of leagues in different sporting disciplines as vehicles to promote the players and the sport itself.
The tennis veteran singled out the Amanora Premier Tennis League (PTL) being held here as an ideal example for providing the platform for Indian players to play, learn and earn from the sport they live for.
"What PTL has done is fantastic. It has provided one platform for the cream of Indian tennis players to come together and play as a team," said Paes during a media interaction at the Deccan Gymkhana here.
Paes said that bringing so many future Davis Cup players together is itself an achievement for the PTL.
"I saw a few matches being played on Deccan Gymkhana courts. There is Saketh (Myneni) playing. There is Jeevan (Neduncheziyan) and Sanam (Singh). They all will be part of the Davis Cup team in the near future and to give them such a platform is a brilliant idea," said the seasoned Davis Cupper.
Asked about the sustainability of the tennis leagues given that India is playing host to three different leagues - the Champions Tennis League of Vijay Amritraj, the International Tennis Premier League of his former doubles partner Mahesh Bhupathi and the PTL here - Paes said it all depended on how well they were run and received.
"The sustainability of the leagues will depend on how they are received by the fans and the franchisee owners. The fans need to enjoy what they watch and the owners need to get returns, tangible or otherwise," the 41-year-old player said.
