New Delhi: Yuki Bhambri will lead Delhi Binny's Brigade in the third edition of the Tennis Premier League (TPL) to be played in Mumbai this year. At the player auction on Wednesday in Mumbai, Bhambri was picked for Rs 4.2 lakh. Manish Suresh Kumar and Thailand's Peangtarn Plipuech, ranked 294 in the world, will also represent the Delhi team.
The organisers, however, did not announce the dates of the tournament.
The base prize for Grade A players was set at Rs.2.5 lakh. Each team was entitled to pick up three players in the auction, including two men and one woman. Through a local tournament in June all the eight teams can add one male and one female player to the team.
Ramkumar Ramanathan will play for Mumbai Leon Army. He was picked up for Rs 4.5 lakh. India's top ranked men's player Prajnesh Gunneswaran went to Rajasthan Tigers for Rs 3.7 lakh while Pune Jaguars picked up Saketh Myneni for Rs 4.4 lakh.
Divij Sharan went to Gujarat Panthers for Rs.4.1 lakh while Purav Raja will play for the Chennai Stallions. His was bought for Rs 3 lakh.
The third edition of the TPL will see participation of five international players, including Samantha Murray Sharan from Great Britain, ranked 206th, Diana Marcinkevica of Latvia, ranked 262, and Sabina Sharipova of Uzbekistan, ranked 317.
Valeriya Strakhova of Ukraine, ranked 379, and Sofia Shapatava of Georgia, ranked 388, are also expected to play in the TPL.
Ankita Raina had the highest price tag among women, having been picked by Hyderabad Strikers for Rs.4.1 lakh, Rutuja Bhosle will play for Pune Jaguars. She was bought for Rs 3 lakh.