Pune: Hyderabad's Vishnu Vardhan, who partnered Leander Paes in the London Olympic Games last year, and Sowjanya Bavisetti became the most expensive male and female players respectively at the auction conducted for the second edition of the Premier Tennis League today.
Vardhan was bought by Sharp Smashers for Rs 1,45,000 while Accurate Aces got Sowjanya Bavisetti for 1,05,000 for the IPL-Style league of tennis to be known as Premier Tennis League from this season and scheduled from January 18 to January 25, at Deccan Gymkhana.
Five teams participated in the league last season, and while all five owners have retained their teams, Navjeevan Constructions owned Vibrant Volleyers is the new addition this season.
And the new franchise bought the Tamil Nadu duo of R Ramkumar and N Jeevan, along with Delhi girl Prerna Bhambri. The auction was conducted by former Davis Cup player and coach Nandan Bal and Deccan Gymkhana tennis secretary Mukund Joshi. Organising Committee Anirudh Deshpande promised an even better league this year, while Premier Tennis League commissioner and Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association treasurer Sunder Iyer put forward the need to take the league to different cities in the state in future.
Defending champions Accurate Aces, Dazzling Deuces, Mumbai Blasters and Sharp Smashers retained three players each, while Baseline Bombers retained two players. Teams, with their owners and most valuable players are as follows: Accurate Aces (RBX SportsEthix): Sriram Balaji (Rs 1,20,000), Baseline Bombers (Icon Group, Cummins Group) Saketh Myneni Rs 1,81,500 (retained player), Dazzling Deuces (Goyal Properties and Mittal Brothers) Mohit Mayur and Vijay Sunder Prashant (1,10,000, retained players), Mumbai Blasters (Sportiff India PVT LTD) Sanam Singh (1,81,500, retained player), Sharp Smashers (Pradeep Chordia) Vishnu Vardhan (1,45,000) Vibrant Volleyers (Navjeevan Constructions): R Ramkumar and N Jeevan (1,10,000 each).
