In a rare treat for lovers of tennis, Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza will be seen in action again when they participate in an exhibition mixed doubles match at the Covered Netaji Stadium in Kolkata on November 25 The 12-time winner Grand Slam Bhupathi will pair with her former partner and the world No 1 doubles player Sania as the city will host the best players in the country in the “Tennis Masters 2015.
Paes, who won his 16th Grand Slam at Wimbledon, will play either with his former partner Slovak Daniela Hantuchova or current pro Martina Hingis in the one-day event organized by the Jaidip Mukerjea Tennis Academy in partnership with the state government. “It will be a better match in three sets. Hantuchova has already confirmed, and we are also waiting Hingis” former Davis Cup captain Mukerjea told reporters announcing the event. It is also hoped that India top two singles duo Somdev Devvarman and Yuki Bhambri be here for the meeting, as they leave for the second season of Indian Premier League Tennis here.
“This will act as a prelude to IPTL starting in Japan on December 2,” said Mukerjea. The event will also prizes and based on the success of the first edition, the organizers decide whether to become an annual event. “We have big plans … Perhaps we will see Roger Federer at the Masters a few days,” he added. Players also conducted a clinic before the match and the head of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee Minister also confirmed to grace the occasion.
