Every sport goes through its own little churn following the retirement of the instrumental players who propelled it to its peak at some point. The big stars hang their boots; the youngsters begin finding their feet and the transition period in between has to be dealt with utmost care and responsibility. Indian ace Leander Paes, a winner of 18 Grand Slam titles, echoes that tennis in the country is going through a similar phase currently.

“This year, AITA (All India Tennis Association) had more tournaments than they have ever had. Also, for us to have come back after Covid-19 and to have season three of the Tennis Premier League (TPL) not only in the end of 2021 but also to have Season 4 straightaway now is great for us,” Paes said on the sidelines of TPL that was held in Pune recently. The 49-year-old also explained that TPL has managed to garner interest from sponsors and potential buyers because of its sustainable model of operation.