Kia India bets on tennis with a three-year deal to back the Tennis Premier League

MUMBAI: Cricket may rule India, but tennis is quietly mounting a challenge. And now it has a serious backer. Kia India has signed on as exclusive sponsor of the Tennis Premier League in a landmark three-year deal, bringing together one of the world’s leading automotive brands and the country’s most consistent non-cricket sporting league in what both sides are billing as a watershed moment for Indian tennis.

The partnership is broad and deliberately structured for the long game. Kia India will feature as the front-of-jersey sponsor across all eight TPL franchise teams and will be integrated throughout the TPL ecosystem, including its app. It is not merely a branding exercise. The deal directly bolsters TPL’s flagship grassroots initiative, Race to Gold Scholarship, which has already supported over 80 young tennis players across India. With Kia’s backing, the programme aims to empower more than 120 additional young athletes, with the audacious long-term goal of producing Olympic medal-winning talent by 2036.

For Kia India, the move is a natural extension of a 25-year global association with tennis through the Australian Open. Atul Sood, senior vice president, sales and marketing at Kia India, framed the partnership in unmistakably aspirational terms. “Tennis, with its youthful energy, global appeal, and premium character, strongly resonates with our brand philosophy,” he said. “Through TPL’s growing ecosystem and grassroots focus, we look forward to supporting greater participation, engagement, and talent development around the sport.”

TPL itself is no minor-league proposition. Now in its eighth season, it operates under the auspices of the All India Tennis Association, broadcasts live on Jio Hotstar, and counts Leander Paes and Sania Mirza among its brand ambassadors. Celebrities Sonali Bendre Behl and Rakul Preet Singh are co-owners of the Lucknow Blazers and Hyderabad Strikers respectively, lending the league a visibility that extends well beyond the court.

Kunal Thakkur, co-founder of TPL, welcomed the partnership with evident enthusiasm. “Having a global brand like Kia India recognise and back this vision gives us the confidence to scale our efforts and truly impact the future of Indian tennis,” he said. His co-founder Mrunal Jain put it even more directly: “We are not just adding a sponsor; we are gaining a long-term partner who shares our vision of building champions for India.”

Paes, an 18-time Grand Slam champion and the sport’s most recognisable Indian face, summed it up with characteristic conviction. “Partnerships like this with Kia India are extremely important for the future of Indian tennis, as they bring long-term vision, credibility, and meaningful support to the ecosystem.”

Seven seasons in, a major sponsor secured and Olympic ambitions firmly on the table. Indian tennis is no longer just dreaming big. It is planning for it.