Andre Agassi Headed to India to Kickoff PWR DUPR Indian Tour and League

Lately, you can't read a pickleball news headline without a tennis legend's name being in it.

Eight-time Grand Slam champion Andre Agassi, who recently signed a deal to be an ambassador for JOOLA, is set to visit India in January to launch the PWR DUPR Indian Tour and League.

This landmark event marks a significant step in popularizing pickleball across the Indian subcontinent.

The PWR DUPR Indian Tour and League is part of a broader initiative by Pickleball World Rankings (PWR), which recently introduced a new global rankings structure. This initiative also includes the launch of the PWR World Tour and PWR World Series, designed to elevate pickleball to new heights on the world stage.

Agassi, known for his iconic tennis career, expressed his excitement about the upcoming tour in a message to his Indian fans. "I'm thrilled to visit India and bring the excitement of pickleball to its fans," said Agassi. "I look forward to the PWR DUPR Indian Tour & League and hope it will be a tremendous success in the country."

New World Tour brings major prize money

Before the main event in January, the PWR DUPR India Masters, including the "Battle of the League: Stage 1," will occur in New Delhi from October 24 -27.

This PWR 700 tournament event is a unique team-based competition designed for amateur players. With partnerships including Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating (DUPR), The Dink Minor League Pickleball (MiLP), Pickleball United, FansPlay, and the Indian Pickleball Association, the tournament promises to be a high-energy precursor to the January tour.

Winning teams in each Battle of the Leagues category will earn the coveted opportunity to compete in The Dink Minor League Pickleball National Championship in the US in December, with PWR covering travel and accommodation expenses.

The tournament also boasts a substantial prize pool of $50,000, further fueling the excitement around this groundbreaking event.

This expansion is not just about competition; it's about establishing pickleball as a major sport in India and beyond.

The launch of PWR, the PWR World Series (PWS), and the PWR World Tour, initially unveiled in Dubai back in July, signals a new era for pickleball, with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region set to host the inaugural PWR World Series in February 2025.