Copyright © 2015. No duplication is permitted without permission from Bob Larson Tennis.

The Champions Tennis League returns for another season, announcing Flavia Pennetta as one of its top names despite her impending retirement. The Italian had been signed before her run to the before her run to the title at the US Open.

“Some players we get at an early stage when their ranking is high. Then they have a bad year and the ranking drops. Or in Flavia’s case, she does well and the ranking goes up. So it’s a great boost for us,” said league organizer Vijay Amritraj.

The league, a more modest version of the International Premier Tennis League (ITPL), is played in six Indian cities during two weeks in the offseason.
But while the league has found it easier to sign up players this time around — familiarity and a personal invitation video have helped — it has still not filled its allotment of teams. The Pune team, which won the event a year ago, is not on the current roster. Amritraj cited a “problem with the owner of the Pune franchise.”

“That said, we don’t have a problem with the city being a venue for the tournament. Bengaluru and Chennai are the other two cities interested,” he said, with the indication that there would be a change in ownership if it is selected again.

The league has been increased from 10 days to 14 days, but with only one match a day instead of three.

Winners receive about $150,000 and runners-up about $70,000.

Teams, which consist of a retired men’s player, an ATP player, a WTA player, an Indian player and one junior to be announced, are as follows
Mumbai: Richard Krajicek, Andreas Seppi, Flavia Pennetta, Sriram Balaji
Chandigarh: Greg Rusedski, Marcos Baghdatis, Elina Svitolina, Saketh Myneni
Hyderabad: Thomas Johansson, Ivo Karlovic, Martina Hingis, Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan
Raipur: Thomas Muster, Kevin Anderson, Alize Cornet, Ramkumar Ramanathan
Nagpur: Alex Corretja, Feliciano Lopez, Jelena Jankovic, Divij Sharan
To be announced: Rainer Schuettler, Fernando Verdasco, Heather Watson, Vishnu Vardhan

Copyright © 2015. No duplication is permitted without permission from Bob Larson Tennis.