Samantha unveils new jersey and launches Chennai Open ahead of WPBL season 2
The team has also roped in players from the United States, Japan, and Croatia
Gaurav Natekar, Mariazeena Johnson, Samantha and other dignitaries onstage at the event (Photo/Justin George)
CHENNAI: Season 2 of the World Pickleball League is fast approaching, and the owner of the state’s franchise, Chennai Super Champs, actor Samantha, was in attendance at a special jersey-unveiling event at Sathyabama University on Friday.
The Chennai team missed a playoff spot by a whisker last year, and this season it has brought back 22-year-old Sonu Vishwakarma as its youngest player, while the oldest in a diverse squad is 46-year-old former World No 1 Simone Jardim.
The team has also roped in players from the United States, Japan, and Croatia.
Samantha admitted that maintaining a balance of experience and youth will be crucial for the upcoming season.
“I don’t want to give too much away, but it is one of the strategies to combine young players with experienced ones,” Samantha told DT Next.
The league is set to take place at the Jio World Gardens in BKC, Mumbai. Discussing fan engagement and the promotion of the sport in Chennai and other parts of the country, Gaurav Natekar, Co-Founder and CEO of the World Pickleball League, said that the league has initiated the Pickleball League-On Tour, which aims to conduct tournaments on a small and medium scale throughout the year.
“The Chennai Open, currently underway at Sathyabama University, is part of the On Tour program. We have over 500 registrations, and we’re working closely with the Chennai franchise to scout for many young and amateur players,” Gaurav said.