File image of Andre Agassi.© AFP
Eight-time Grand Slam champion and former World No. 1 tennis player Andre Agassi is set to visit India in January next year to inaugurate the PWR DUPR Indian Tour and League, a major event that aims to popularise pickleball in the country. The PWR DUPR Indian Tour and League follows the recent introduction of a new rankings structure by Pickleball World Rankings (PWR), along with the launch of the PWR World Tour and PWR World Series.
In a video message to his Indian fans, Agassi said, "I'm excited to visit India and bring the excitement of pickleball to its fans. I look forward to the PWR DUPR Indian Tour & League and hope it will be a great success in the country." Agassi has won four Australian Open titles, a French Open and Wimbledon each, and two US Open titles, as well as a gold medal in men's singles at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Ahead of the main event in January, the PWR DUPR India Masters, including the "Battle of the League: Stage 1," a PWR 700 event, will take place in New Delhi from October 24 to 27 this year.
The Battle of the Leagues is a unique team-based competition designed for amateur players, with event partners including Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating (DUPR), Minor League Pickleball, Pickleball United, FansPlay, the Indian Pickleball Association, the Asian Pickleball Association, and the Global Pickleball Federation.
Winning teams in each category of the Battle of the Leagues will earn a spot in the DUPR Nationals in the USA, with travel and accommodation expenses covered by PWR. The tournament offers a total prize money of USD 50,000.
The launch of the PWR, the PWR World Series (PWS), and the PWR World Tour was recently held in Dubai, with the GCC region announced as the host for the inaugural PWR World Series in February 2025.
All PWR DUPR events are sanctioned by the Indian Pickleball Association, the Asian Pickleball Association, and the Global Pickleball Federation.