WPL 2023: Royal Challengers Bangalore rope in tennis legend Sania Mirza as mentor

Bengaluru, February 15: India's tennis great Sania Mirza on Wednesday (February 15) was roped in as the mentor of the women's team of Royal Challengers Bangalore ahead of the inaugural Women's Premier League (WPL).

RCB will be among five teams that will battle on the field for the first-ever WPL, scheduled to be held from March 4 to March 26.

The Bangalore-based franchise assembled their squad on Monday (February 13) at the WPL Auction 2023. And have now added the country's best women's tennis star, who has won 6 Grand Slam titles, as a mentor for the team.

RCB in a release said: "Mirza, winner of 6 Grand Slams & 43 WTA Titles, is a perfect fit into RCB Play Bold philosophy. Be it cricket or tennis, athletes are made of the same grain, fiercely competitive, love their sport and face pressure situations in their game. Sania has done just that for 20 years across her illustrious career.

"Her global stature as one of the leading role models for innumerable women prompted the RCB team management to onboard her to motivate and encourage the women's team of RCB as Sania is someone whom the players can relate and respond to easily in a team environment."

Mirza, who has been honoured with Padma Bhushan, Arjuna Award and Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, said she is looking forward to working in her new role as RCB women's team mentor.

"It is a pleasure for me to join the RCB women's team as a mentor. Indian women's cricket has seen a tectonic shift with the Women's Premier League, and I am really looking forward to being a part of this revolutionary pitch," Mirza was quoted as saying in a release.

"RCB and its brand philosophy perfectly resonates with my vision and outlook as that's how I have approached my playing career and it's also how I see contributing to sports post my retirement.

"RCB has been a popular team and much followed team in the IPL over the years. I am immensely happy to see them building a team for the Women's Premier League as it will push the women's sports to new heights in the country, open new doors to women cricketers and help make sports the first career choice for young girls and young parents with a girl child."

Mirza retired from the sport after the Australian Open earlier this year, where she and her partner Rohan Bopanna finished runners-up in the mixed doubles event. She has announced that the ATP Dubai Open later this month would be her swansong tournament as she's expected to join the franchise after that.

On the appointment of Sania as mentor, Rajesh V Menon, Head and Vice President of Royal Challengers Bangalore, said, "We are glad and honoured to welcome Sania Mirza as mentor of the RCB women's team. She is the perfect role model with her success stemming out of her sheer hard work, passion, and determination, despite many challenges in her playing career.

"Sania is someone our young generation looks up to and she can motivate, encourage our team as she herself has been an uber competitive player who understands how to overcome challenges and handle pressure at various situations at the highest level of sports. Her stature and gravitas as well as her attitude will inspire and bring the much needed panache to transform the team with a Bold Personality."

The RCB had taken a confident approach in acquiring a team that is a mix of world's top and most talented 18 players during the WPL auction on Monday (February 13) in Mumbai.

Playing bold, RCB had acquired the services of star India batter Smriti Mandhana and added notable international names to their squad such as Australian duo of all-rounder Ellyse Perry and medium pacer Megan Schutt, New Zealand's captain Sophie Devine, England's skipper Heather Knight and South African all-rounder Dane Van Niekerk along with India under-19-star Richa Ghosh.

Source: Media Release