The Tennis Premier League (TPL), powered by Clear Premium Water, hosted its highly anticipated Season 7 Player Auction on October 9 in Mumbai. The event saw tennis icons Leander Paes, Sania Mirza, and Mahesh Bhupathi in attendance, alongside league Co-Founders Kunal Thakkur and Mrunal Jain.
Franchises battled it out to assemble their squads ahead of the upcoming season, scheduled from December 9 to 14, 2025, at the Gujarat University Tennis Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Among the major highlights, Sriram Balaji and Rithvik Bollipalli emerged as the highest bids of the auction, each fetching INR 12 lakh, underscoring the growing value of doubles specialists in the league.
SG Pipers Bengaluru, led by Indian doubles legend Rohan Bopanna, acquired India’s No. 2 singles player Shrivalli Bhamidipaty for INR 8.60 lakh and Ramkumar Ramanathan for INR 7.20 lakh, combining experience and form.
Defending champions Hyderabad Strikers, led by Arthur Rinderknech (World No. 54), secured French player Carole Monnet for INR 10.60 lakh and retained doubles star Vishnu Vardhan for INR 6 lakh.
GS Delhi Aces, with marquee player Tomas Martin Etcheverry (World No. 58), won the bid for Belgium’s Sofia Costoulas (World No. 168) for INR 11 lakh after a tense battle, and added doubles expert Jeevan Neduncheziyan for INR 6 lakh.
Gurgaon Grand Slammers, led by Corentin Moutet (World No. 38), acquired Nuria Parrizas Diaz for INR 6 lakh and Sriram Balaji for INR 12 lakh — one of the costliest players of the auction.
Chennai Smashers, featuring Czech star Dalibor Svrcina (World No. 91), added Irina Bara for INR 6 lakh and Rithvik Bollipalli for INR 12 lakh, matching the top bid of the day.
Yash Mumbai Eagles, anchored by Bosnia’s Damir Dzhumhur (World No. 67), picked up Mariam Bolkvadze and Niki Poonacha for INR 6 lakh each, forming a balanced lineup.
Gujarat Panthers, with Alexandre Muller (World No. 39) as marquee player, acquired Nuria Brancaccio for INR 10 lakh and doubles player Anirudh Chandrasekhar for INR 7 lakh.
Rajasthan Rangers, led by Luciano Darderi (World No. 29), the highest-ranked player this season, signed Anastasia Gasanova for INR 6 lakh and Dhakshineswar Suresh for INR 7.50 lakh.
Kunal Thakkur, Co-Founder, TPL said, “Season 7 has truly raised the bar for the league. Seeing franchises compete fiercely to acquire top talent both Indian and international, shows the growing quality and competitiveness of TPL. Fans are in for an electrifying season of high-level tennis and thrilling action.”
Mrunal Jain, Co-Founder of the league, said, “The energy in the auction hall affirmed the excitement around our seventh season. Franchises have built strong, balanced squads and with such high-calibre acquisitions, this year promises to be our most entertaining and closely contested edition yet.”
The Tennis Premier League Season 7 is powered by Clear Premium Water, with Yonex Sunrise as the official equipment partner and Sofitel as the auction venue partner. BookMyShow manages ticketing, and Magnum SX Wellness joins as the official wellness partner, ensuring a premium experience for players and fans alike.
