North East India is getting its own team-based professional tennis league in Guwahati next year

IN A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND EFFORT in North East India, the Guwahati Lawn Tennis Association is launching a team-based professional league in the region.

The North East Tennis League, which will take place early next year, will feature multiple teams featuring both men and women players. The teams will be named after the major rivers that flow through North-East India. Participation will not be limited to players from the North-East, however.

Following the format of IPL, IPTL and PBL, the NETL teams will have to buy players out of a central pool put together by the league's organizing committee via an auction process. Players younger than 18 years will be given a scholarship contract instead of a full professional deal.

When two teams square off in a tie, they will play 3 matches with each other. The two teams will have to agree on which categories those matches will take place in; choices include singles and doubles featuring players of both genders.

The matches will be played in Guwahati, and the organizers are looking to strike a deal with one of the Assamese satellite channels for live telecast of the matches.

It is yet to be seen how the All Assam Tennis Association, the governing body of the sport in the state, will see this upcoming league. Last year, the AATA had refused to recognize the Guwahati Lawn Tennis Association (GLTA) as a district association under its umbrella but said that they "appreciated the effort" of the GLTA in promoting the sport. The GLTA organizes the prestigious Guwahati Open Tennis Championship and several other tournaments as well as grassroot efforts throughout North East India. The NETL will be their most ambitious and high profile competition yet.

Get the latest in the world of Sports, Teams, and Players! Free Delivery to your Inbox.