In a thrilling announcement for the Indian sports community, former World No 1 tennis star and eight-time Grand Slam champion Andre Agassi is set to visit India in January 2025 to kick off the much-anticipated PWR DUPR Indian Tour & League. This groundbreaking pickleball tour is all set to bring the excitement of competitive pickleball to Indian shores, marking a significant milestone for the sport in the country.
The phenomenon is the result of a dynamic partnership between The Times Group, Pickleball World Rankings (PWR), and Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating (DUPR), and aims to create a global buzz around pickleball, generating excitement among players and fans alike. It follows hot on the heels of PWR’s newly announced rankings structure, the PWR World Tour, and the PWR World Series—each designed to elevate the sport to new heights.
Agassi, known for his illustrious career with eight Grand Slam singles titles, including four Australian Opens, a French Open, Wimbledon, and two US Opens, along with a gold medal in men’s singles at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, has expressed his excitement about being part of this venture. In a special video message for his Indian fans, Agassi shared, “I’m excited to visit India and bring the excitement of pickleball to its fans. I look forward to the PWR DUPR Indian Tour & League and hope it will be a great success in the country.”
Commenting on Agassi’s upcoming visit, Pranav Kohli, CEO and Founder of PWR, said, “We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Andre Agassi to India as he flags off the PWR DUPR Indian Tour & League. His involvement brings a tremendous boost to our efforts to promote pickleball in India and globally. Agassi’s passion for the game and his legendary status in the world of sports will surely inspire players and fans alike, and we are confident that this league will set new benchmarks for pickleball in India.”
Ryler DeHeart, Megan Fudge DeHeart, Mitch Hargreaves and Emilia Schmidt at the launch of PWR World Tour in Dubai
Vineet Jain, Managing Director of The Times Group, echoed this enthusiasm, stating, “We are excited to have Andre Agassi at the launch of PWR DUPR Indian Tour & League. India is one of the fastest-growing markets for pickleball, outside the USA. The player participation, infrastructure, and facilities in pickleball is seeing growth not only in metro cities but also in smaller cities. Beyond recreational play, the sport is also evolving professionally in the country, with many players now pursuing it as a full-time career. Andre Agassi’s participation is a testament to the high growth potential of pickleball in India and will further boost the player and fan engagement. We at the Times Group are proud to be at the forefront of this pickleball revolution.”
As a precursor to the PWR DUPR Indian Tour & League, the PWR DUPR India Masters, featuring the Battle of the Leagues: Stage 1, a one-off PWR 700 event, will take place in New Delhi from October 24th to 27th, 2024. The Battle of the Leagues is a unique PWR concept featuring team-based competition for amateurs. Event partners include DUPR, Minor League Pickleball, Pickleball United, FansPlay, the Indian Pickleball Association, the Asian Pickleball Association, and the Global Pickleball Federation. In addition to the USD 50K prize money, the winning teams in each category will secure a spot in the DUPR Nationals in the USA, with PWR covering their travel and accommodation expenses.
Last month, the Pickleball World Rankings (PWR), the PWR World Series (PWS), and the PWR World Tour were launched in Dubai, with the GCC announced as the host region for the first PWR World Series in February 2025.
It is to be noted that all the PWR DUPR events are sanctioned by Indian Pickleball Association (the apex pickleball body in India), Asian Pickleball Association, and Global Pickleball Federation (the rule making and official world governing body of pickleball).
