MUMBAI: Australian Open champion and decorated doubles player Rohan Bopanna will make his debut in the Tennis Premier League (TPL) this season, which will be held here in December.
The 44-year-old Indian, currently ranked world number six in doubles, won the men's doubles title in the season-opening Grand Slam in Melbourne, alongside Matthew Ebden.
"I'm thrilled to become a part of the Tennis Premier League, especially with its innovative 25-point format. It's a perfect way to wrap up the year," said Bopanna, a former world No. 1 in doubles.
Bopanna, who represented India in three Olympic Games, also clinched the mixed doubles crown at the 2017 French Open, partnering Gabriela Dabrowski of Canada.
The Bengalurean holds the unique record of being the oldest player to reach the No. 1 spot earlier this January. He has won more than 25 career titles and is only the fourth Indian tennis player, after Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi, and Sania Mirza, to reach the top of the tennis rankings.
"It is fantastic to have onboard with us the very dynamic Rohan Bopanna. His credentials and abilities are something we don't need to touch upon," said Kunal Thakkur, Co-Founder of the TPL, ahead of its sixth season.
All matches between two franchises will comprise men's singles, women's singles, mixed doubles, and men's doubles. There will be 100 points at stake in each match, with each category worth 25 points.
Each team will play for a total of 500 points (100 points x 5 matches) during the league stage, with the top 4 teams in the points table qualifying for the semifinals.