Mahesh Bhupathi: Women Have Been Holding Indian Sport Together

Legendary Indian tennis player Mahesh Bhupathi said that the women’s sport has been “holding the Indian sport” together in the last few years and have been a part of an “incredible revolution” that will continue for the next decade.

Bhupathi was speaking at the launch event of the SG Pipers, the new franchise of the Hockey India League (HIL) franchise. SG Sports, Media & Entertainment (SGSE), part of the APL Apollo Group, announced the launch of the franchise. With a star-studded lineup of management and coaches, the franchise is set to take the hockey world by storm in the HIL, which is making an eagerly awaited comeback after 2017. Bhupathi serves as the CEO of the SG Sports, Media and Entertainment.

Speaking to ANI during the event, Bhupathi said, “I think women’s sport has been holding Indian sport together in the last few years from the times of Sania (Mirza), Saina (Nehwal), (PV) Sindhu, Manika (Batra) and Manu (Bhaker) and the list goes on. So, it has been an incredible revolution and I think that is going to continue for the next decade. We fully believe in the power of women sport. We will fully back it as a group as well.”

This statement of Mahesh comes when HIL is set to return this year, as announced officially on Friday after a long break of seven years. The HIL 2024-25 will be held from the last week of December 2024 to the first week of February 2025, in a window sanctioned by the International Hockey Federation (FIH). The tournament will witness the participation of 8 men’s teams and 6 women’s teams.

On his SG Pipers team, Bhupathi said, “This is our tenth or eleventh sports team we have had. We have multiple sports teams.”

The team has roped in legendary Indian goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, who called it quits from international hockey after a second successive bronze at Paris Olympics, as the Director of Hockey for the team.

On his appointment, Bhupathi said, “Sreejesh has achieved everything that an athlete could dream of winning two Olympic medals. It is not even a dream. It is a fantasy and he has achieved that. Now I think it is time for him to give back to the sport that has given him so much. He believes in our vision and that’s why we are happy to have him on the team.

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(With inputs from ANI)