Kia India and Tennis Premier League (TPL) today announced a landmark three-year partnership, with Kia India coming on board as the Exclusive Sponsor for the league. Bringing together Kia India’s long-standing global association with tennis and TPL’s growing ecosystem around the sport in India, the partnership reflects a shared vision towards strengthening the relevance and reach of tennis and inspiring a new generation of audiences across the country.
This multi-year deal marks one of the most significant milestones in Indian tennis, uniting one of the world’s leading automotive brands with a home-grown movement that is quietly rewriting the country’s tennis story through a League and the App.
With a global tennis legacy spanning 25 years through its association with the Australian Open, Kia India has consistently focused on creating meaningful experiences around the sport through youth-focused and participation-led initiatives. The partnership with TPL reflects Kia India’s continued commitment towards engaging with progressive sporting platforms that are shaping contemporary sports culture in India.
With 7 successful seasons under the auspices of the All India Tennis Association and strong backing from iconic brand ambassadors like Leander Paes and Sania Mirza, along with celebrated personalities such as Sonali Bendre Behl, Co-owner – Lucknow Blazers, and Rakul Preet Singh, Co-owner – Hyderabad Strikers, the Tennis Premier League — live on Jio Hotstar — has steadily built credibility and mass appeal over the years. It has emerged as one of India’s most consistent and impactful non-cricket sporting leagues, achieving several significant milestones along the way.
As part of this multi-year association, Kia India will be integrated across the Tennis Premier League ecosystem, including the TPL App and all eight franchise teams as the front-of-jersey sponsor. The partnership also aligns with Kia India’s vision of enabling greater participation and engagement around the sport, while further strengthening TPL’s grassroots initiatives, which have played a key role in driving tournaments and identifying emerging tennis talent across the country.
Over the last two years, TPL, through its flagship “Race to Gold Scholarship” initiative, has supported over 80 young tennis players across India. With Kia India’s support, the vision now expands further—to empower 120+ additional young athletes in the coming years, with the long-term goal of nurturing Olympic-level talent capable of bringing home medals at the 2036 Olympics.
Recognizing TPL’s strong grassroots focus and growing visibility for the sport, Kia India sees the partnership as a strong platform to further strengthen engagement around tennis in India and support its long-term growth through greater scale, structure, and sustained investment.
This partnership is expected to significantly enhance the reach of tennis across India, bringing the sport closer to households nationwide and positioning it as the next big sporting movement in the country that has already completed 7 seasons with a greater focus on grassroots as well.
Commenting on the partnership, Atul Sood, Senior Vice President – Sales and Marketing, Kia India, said the collaboration reflects a shared vision to make tennis more engaging and relevant for younger audiences while supporting participation and talent development across India.
Kunal Thakkur said the partnership with Kia India would help TPL scale its grassroots initiatives and strengthen the future of Indian tennis through greater investment and visibility.
Mrunal Jain added that Kia India’s involvement goes beyond sponsorship and represents a long-term partnership focused on building a complete tennis ecosystem in India.
Speaking on the collaboration, Leander Paes highlighted the importance of long-term corporate partnerships in helping expand grassroots development and professional opportunities within Indian tennis.
