Chennai’s Express Avenue Mall is set to turn into a sporting arena this weekend as the Tamil Nadu Pickleball Premier League (TNPPL) returns for its second season, bringing together 12 district-based franchises, 168 players and a growing mix of sporting and celebrity interest. The four-day tournament will be held from September 17 to 20, 2026, with actor owners including Vikram, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar and Keerthy Pandian adding a touch of glamour to the competition.
TNPPL Season 2 Brings Pickleball to a Chennai Mall
The second season of the Tamil Nadu Pickleball Premier League will be played at the Central Atrium of Express Avenue Mall in Royapettah, Chennai. The tournament features 12 district franchises and 168 players, with each franchise fielding a 14-member squad. The league has a prize pool of ₹30 lakh, according to the official TNPPL website.
The decision to stage the competition inside a busy shopping mall is designed to bring the sport closer to a wider audience. Instead of requiring spectators to travel to a traditional stadium or sports complex, the league places competitive pickleball directly in the middle of a popular public space.
The tournament is being conducted with the Tamil Nadu Pickleball Association and is co-sanctioned by the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu. The organisers are positioning the league as a platform for developing pickleball across the state while creating greater public exposure for the sport.
12 District Franchises, 168 Players
Season 2 features 12 district-based franchises, representing different parts of Tamil Nadu. Each team has a 14-player squad comprising eight men, three women and three Masters players aged 50 and above.
The 12 franchises are:
- Kanchi Blackbucks – Kanchipuram
- Twin Eagles Hosur – Hosur
- Salem Super Smashers – Salem
- Coimbatore Smashers – Coimbatore
- Chennai Tamizh Titans – Chennai
- Cuddalore Kings – Cuddalore
- Rockfort Terminatrz Trichy – Tiruchirappalli
- Ooty Bisons – Nilgiris
- Ramnad Royals – Ramanathapuram
- Nellai Superstars – Tirunelveli
- Madurai All Stars – Madurai
- Kodai Tigers – Kodaikanal
The league stage consists of 30 ties in a round-robin format, followed by quarterfinals and semifinals before the championship match. The final is scheduled for September 20.
Vikram, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar and Keerthy Pandian Own Teams
One of the biggest attractions surrounding Season 2 is the involvement of well-known film personalities as franchise owners.
Chiyaan Vikram is among the owners of the Cuddalore Kings, while Varalaxmi Sarathkumar is a franchise owner of the Chennai Tamizh Titans. Actor Keerthy Pandian is associated with the Nellai Superstars.
The official TNPPL franchise list also includes owners from the business and sporting worlds, giving the competition a broader ownership base beyond the film industry.
For Keerthy Pandian, the connection with sport is particularly personal. The actor has spoken about having played kho-kho during her school years and said that pickleball has brought sport back into her life after a gap.
Varalaxmi Sarathkumar has also spoken about her involvement as a team owner and her own interest in playing pickleball. The actor said she plays regularly and sees the sport as a way of creating friendships and community.
Former Tennis Player Prajnesh Gunneswaran Joins the League
The player pool also includes athletes with backgrounds in other racket sports. Former Indian tennis player Prajnesh Gunneswaran, who won singles bronze at the 2018 Asian Games, is part of the Ooty Bisons squad.
Gunneswaran, who retired from professional tennis in 2024, has pointed to the similarities between tennis and pickleball as one reason for taking up the sport. The smaller court and different playing dynamics nevertheless require players to adapt their movement, shot selection and positioning.
His participation highlights one of the ways pickleball is attracting players from established racket-sport backgrounds. The sport’s relatively accessible learning curve has also helped it gain recreational players across different age groups.
Why Pickleball Is Gaining Attention in Tamil Nadu
Pickleball combines elements familiar from tennis, badminton and table tennis. It is played with solid paddles and a perforated plastic ball on a smaller court, making rallies fast while requiring less court coverage than traditional tennis.
In Chennai, the sport has increasingly become part of the recreational sporting landscape. The TNPPL is attempting to take that recreational interest into a more organised competitive structure, with district identities, franchise ownership, player auctions and a league format.
The involvement of former professional athletes and celebrities could also help introduce the sport to audiences who may not otherwise follow competitive pickleball.
Player Auction Adds a Professional League Structure
The 168-player squads were assembled through a player auction held at the ITC Grand Chola in Chennai on August 4. Each franchise built a 14-player squad, with the auction adding a professional sports-league element to the tournament.
The player pool includes men, women and Masters competitors, allowing the franchises to build teams across different categories. The format is intended to create competitive balance while giving players from Tamil Nadu a dedicated platform to compete at the state level.
The auction also showed growing financial interest in the competition. A bid of ₹1.2 lakh for player Anish Froilan by the Coimbatore Smashers was reported ahead of the second season.
Four Days of Pickleball at Express Avenue
The tournament runs from September 17 to September 20. League matches begin at 10 am on the opening days, with the knockout stage scheduled for September 19 and the final on September 20.
The official schedule includes:
- September 17: Opening day and start of the league stage
- September 18: League-stage action
- September 19: Quarterfinals and semifinals
- September 20: Championship final
The venue is expected to accommodate spectators around the mall’s central atrium, allowing visitors to watch the matches while going about their regular weekend activities. Entry to the tournament is free.
Can a Mall Help Pickleball Reach a Bigger Audience?
Taking a professional sporting competition into a shopping mall changes the way spectators encounter the game. A conventional sports venue generally attracts people who have already decided to watch a particular sport. A mall setting can also expose casual visitors to the game.
For a sport that is still building its audience in India, this type of visibility can be important. Spectators can watch rallies from the atrium and surrounding levels without necessarily having planned a visit specifically for pickleball.
The organisers have also emphasised the community aspect of the sport. With recreational players, former athletes, professional competitors and celebrity owners all becoming part of the ecosystem, the league is attempting to connect grassroots participation with organised competition.
What to Expect From TNPPL Season 2
With 12 franchises, 168 players, 30 league ties and a ₹30 lakh prize pool, the second season represents a larger organised competition for Tamil Nadu pickleball. The presence of players from different sporting backgrounds and the participation of celebrity franchise owners are likely to add attention beyond the existing pickleball community.
More importantly, the league provides a state-level competitive platform for players while giving spectators an opportunity to experience the sport in an accessible setting.
Bottom Line
The Tamil Nadu Pickleball Premier League Season 2 is bringing competitive pickleball into the heart of Chennai’s retail environment. From September 17 to 20, Express Avenue Mall will host 12 district franchises and 168 players competing for the championship and a ₹30 lakh prize pool.
With Vikram, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar and Keerthy Pandian among the franchise owners, former tennis player Prajnesh Gunneswaran in the player pool and free spectator entry, the tournament is designed to make pickleball visible well beyond dedicated courts. For Chennai, the weekend offers a chance to see a rapidly expanding racket sport up close—and perhaps discover it while simply visiting the mall.
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