Andre Agassi to visit India to flag off the PWR DUPR Indian Tour & League

In an exciting turn of events, sports legend and eight-time Grand Slam champion and former World No. 1 tennis player Andre Agassi is set to officially flag off the PWR DUPR Indian Tour & League, a grand pickleball tour that promises to bring the thrill of competitive pickleball to India. The sports star will visit the country in January 2025 to take up in the event, which is taking place due to the partnership between The Times Group, Pickleball World Rankings (PWR) and Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating (DUPR).

Agassi, who is known for his incredible achievements in tennis, shared a special video message for his fans in India. He said, “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.” The sports star has won eight Grand Slam singles titles, including four Australian Opens, a French Open, a Wimbledon, and two US Opens, as well as a gold medal in men’s singles at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

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.”Vineet Jain, Managing Director of The Times Group said: “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.”

Notably, ahead of the PWR DUPR Indian Tour & League, the PWR DUPR India Masters including Battle of the League: Stage 1, a one off PWR 700 event will take place in New Delhi from 24th to 27th October 2024. The latest launch event in Dubai was attended by PWR player Divyanshu Kataria, along with Ryler DeHeart, Megan Fudge DeHeart, Mitch Hargreaves and Emilia Schmidt.

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, Fans Play, 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 of the Battle of the Leagues will secure a spot in the DUPR Nationals in the USA, with PWR covering their travel and accommodation expenses.