TN Pickleball Premier League: Chennai mall set to host 12 teams, 168 players

The shopping mall represents aspiration. For some, it might signal a time to splurge or indulge in a movie. For others, it might be a means to get some free air-conditioning and some guilt-free window shopping.

To both these sections of society, this weekend at Chennai’s Express Avenue Mall will throw up something different: sporting action.

The mall will host the second season of the Tamil Nadu Pickleball Premier League (TNPPL), giving the city an opportunity to witness the world’s fastest-growing sport at close quarters. With 12 district-based franchises and 168 players fighting for a prize pool of Rs 30 lakhs, the league - aimed exclusively at Tamil Nadu players – hopes to make the state the pickleball capital of the country.