WPBL franchise Hyderabad Superstars onboard Rakul Preet Singh, Jackky Bhagnani as co-owners

Hyderabad, Jan 24 (IANS) Bollywood actors Rakul Preet Singh and Jackky Bhagnani have joined hands with KLO Sports as co-owners of the Hyderabad Superstars in the upcoming World Pickleball League, starting in Mumbai on Saturday.

The WPBL, India’s first global franchise-based pickleball league, co-founded by former tennis players Gaurav Natekar and Arati Ponnappa Natekar, will host its inaugural season from January 24 to February 2.

“Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the world and is currently being played across age groups. Hyderabad Superstars will only further popularise and inspire players from Hyderabad and across the country to go after excellence. Joining the World Pickleball League is an exciting new chapter in my sports journey and I wish the team the best of luck,” said Rakul Preet Singh at the onset of the league.

“Pickleball is without a doubt, one of the most popular sport across generations and we look forward to inspire even more people to take up the sport,” added Bhagnani.

Hyderabad Superstars will be led by renowned coach Jonny Andrews, popularly known as ‘Jonny Pickleball’.

Jonny comes with extensive experience in the sport having been associated with Pickleball since 2016 and will get an opportunity to train a formidable roster, including Indian Pickleball sensation Kuldip Mahajan and international stars such as Max Freeman, Ava Cavataio, Ross Whittaker, Madalina Grigoriu, Karolina Owczarek, Ben Cawston, and Ludovica Sciaky.

KLO Sports, co-owned Sanjay Jupudi and Srinath Chittoori, has announced the acquisition of the Hyderabad Franchise named ‘Hyderabad Superstars’ earlier this month for the World Pickleball League.

“We welcome Rakul Preet Singh and Jackky Bhagnani to the Hyderabad Superstars family and are confident that their presence will be inspirational to all. We believe that with our investment, we can help nurture local and upcoming talent while building a strong community of players and fans. Our aim extends beyond simply creating a competitive team; we want to foster an environment where everyone can come together to celebrate the sport,” said Srinath Chittoori, co-owner, KLO Sports.

“We at KLO Sports are thrilled to embark on this journey into the exciting world of pickleball alongside Rakul Preet Singh and Jackky Bhagnani. The World Pickleball League is a fantastic platform to elevate its popularity and discover exceptional talent across the country. Hyderabad, with its vibrant sporting culture, has embraced pickleball with enthusiasm, and we are honored to represent the city in this league, adding to its rich sporting legacy,” said Sanjay Jupudi, co-owner, KLO Sports.

–IANS

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