Singapore Slammers already a winner for Gavaskar

Cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar could have picked the Philippines or United Arab Emirates for his — and his business partners’ — US$25 million (S$32.6 million) investment in the International Premier Tennis League (IPTL), but the 65-year-old chose Singapore instead.

With his home country’s team of the Indian Aces snapped up by New Delhi-based Micromax, Gavaskar was sure Singapore was the next best choice.

“I convinced my partners to go for Singapore because I have been in Singapore for quite a while,” Gavaskar, who is chairman of the DBS Singapore Slammers.

“I know the interest in sports that Singapore has, not in only one, but all sports. With the facilities that Singapore has, it would be the franchise to go far. When we get a full house or 90 per cent full, that will be a fantastic response and if at the end of the tournament, the Singapore Slammers go on to win the inaugural IPTL, that would be icing on the cake.”

With the Indian Aces featuring Indian players such as Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna, Gavaskar is hopeful the Slammers’ roster will in future boast Singaporean players to engage local fans. “The challenge for my partners and I is to make sure that we will be able to have Singaporean players as part of the Singapore Slammers,” said Gavaskar who is hoping to lure Rafael Nadal to the Slammers.

“With the interest in the game growing, and the champions and legends participation here, we hope it will incentivise players to take up the game. They need workshops, guidance for training and growth, and we hope that will happen with this event.”

LOW LIN FHOONG