SM Krishna Tennis Stadium renamed, scholarships announced

NEW DELHI: The Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA) has renamed its stadium in Cubbon Park as SM Krishna Tennis Stadium. This is a tribute to SM Krishna, former Chief Minister of Karnataka and long-time President of KSLTA.

Scholarships for Young Players

To mark the occasion, scholarships worth Rs 12 lakh were awarded to 13 young and upcoming tennis players from Karnataka.

The grand event was led by R Ashoka, Opposition Leader, Government of Karnataka, and President of KSLTA. Joining him were Prema Krishna, wife of late SM Krishna, daughters Malavika and Shambhavi, Minister of IT, BT, Science & Technology and Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Priyank Kharge, Senior Vice President of KSLTA and international tennis star Rohan Bopanna, who is also the Vice President of KSLTA. Also present were Minister Radha Krishna, Karnataka Olympic Association President Govinda Raj, and Sports Secretary, Government of Karnataka, Randeep D.

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Krishna, a tennis enthusiast, led KSLTA from 1999 to 2019 and was AITA Life President from 2015 to 2023. His leadership upgraded KSLTA’s rundown clay courts into a world-class stadium. He brought major tournaments like the Legends Tour, ATP World Doubles Championships, and WTA Indian Open to Bengaluru. The Williams sisters, Serena and Venus, were among the international stars who played here.

Krishna expanded tennis to tier-2 cities and 12 districts in Karnataka, making it the only state with extensive ITF and ATP Challenger infrastructure.

Family & Leaders Remember SM Krishna

Prema Krishna recalled her husband’s passion. “During the Parliament elections, when a loss was certain, he was already in his tennis gear, ready to play. His love for the sport was immense. I urge Bengaluru’s affluent community and IT sector to invest in tennis and support young players.”

KSLTA President R Ashoka said, “Krishna sir loved tennis. Every time I visited him, he spoke about Wimbledon. This stadium is a result of his dedication. We have seven acres near Kempegowda International Airport for a state-of-the-art tennis complex. We will also host the SM Krishna Memorial Tournament and award scholarships annually.”

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Former KSLTA Secretary Sunder Raju shared, “Krishna played a pivotal role in Indian tennis. Within a month of becoming KSLTA President in 1999, he brought the ATP World Doubles Championship to Bengaluru. That was just the beginning.”

International tennis star Rohan Bopanna reminisced, “I was 19 when the ATP World Doubles was held in Bangalore. Seeing top players here was a huge inspiration. Krishna sir took tennis to 12+ districts. I hope his vision of reaching 30 districts comes true. Travel remains tough for young players, but I hope we continue supporting them.”

The SM Krishna Memorial Tournament – ITF Men’s M25 event, with $30,000 prize money, will be held from 1st to 6th April 2025. Qualifiers take place on 30th-31st March.

Scholarship Winners:

1. Puneeth M
2. Thanush Shekar BC
3. Srishti Kiran
4. Padma Priya Ramesh Kumar
5. Prakaash Saaran
6. Aaradhya Kshitij
7. Disha Kumar
8. Snigdha Kanta
9. Krish Tyagi
10. Sehaj Singh Pawar
11. Sreenidhi Balaji
12. Harshini N
13. Arzan Khorakiwala

The SM Krishna Tennis Stadium will continue to shape the future of tennis in Karnataka and beyond.