Ahmedabad, Dec 13 (IANS) Indian tennis icons Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi expressed their excitement as they appeared together on day four of the Tennis Premier League.

Paes attended as the Brand Ambassador of GS Delhi Aces, while Bhupathi was present in support of SG Pipers Bengaluru.

The duo, who won three Grand Slam titles together and rose to World No. 1 as a pair, have long supported the league and were in attendance on the fourth day of Season 7.

Sharing his excitement, Paes said, “It's wonderful to be in Ahmedabad. The weather is fantastic to start with, and to see the extravagance of the Tennis Premier League here is part of a dream to expand and popularise tennis throughout the country.”

“I am very grateful to Sania, Rohan, Mahesh, and all the stars who support the league. When you look at the players, we have managed to bring together juniors, professionals, boys and girls, and add an international flavour. To have the entire fraternity of tennis come together here is special,” he added.

SG Pipers Bengaluru narrowly beat the GS Delhi Aces 49-51 in the third match of the day.

Reflecting on the evening’s matchups, Paes noted, “Tonight I played against Rohan and Mahesh’s team. Mahesh was up against Sanya’s team earlier. These competitive rivalries are what make sport such a unifier.”

The GS Delhi Aces are on the top of the points table with 211 points. Speaking about the season and his team’s form, he said, “The season is going great. I am a little biased toward my own team. The Delhi Aces are on top right now but there is a lot of tennis still to go. The format here is very interesting.”

Paes also touched on his role with the Delhi-based team. “To play for your people for 40 years, to win 20 Grand Slams and play 7 Olympics are blessings. Now, mentoring kids and building leagues like this so they can earn, compete and grow against the best in the world keeps me inspired.”

Highlighting the league’s journey, the 18-time Grand Slam winner said, “We are in our 7th straight season of the Tennis Premier League and that is something we are proud of. We can take it global in the future, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Singapore, bring in bigger sponsors and wider visibility.”

“But for a patriot like me, doing this in India gives me joy. One year in Mumbai, then Pune, now Ahmedabad, the aim is simple. Take the sport to every young fan watching,” he concluded.

--IANS

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