The start of the LOTTO Tennis SuperLeague, in which the eight best clubs will compete for the title of Polish Team Champion in the Ekstraklasa and the prize of PLN 700,000 – was announced on 14 February. Organizers have announced that the tournament’s live televised matches will feature players from the top 100 in the ATP and WTA rankings, with the final game even featuring players from the top 20.
“This is the biggest project in the history of tennis in Poland, which will transform Polish tennis into a truly professional creation,” Mirosław Skrzypczyński, the President of the Management Board of the Polish Tennis Federation stressed during a press conference.
The LOTTO SuperLeague playoffs start on 29 May and will feature seven round-robin matches that will determine the four best clubs by the end of August. They will compete for the championship title and the prize of 700 thousand PLN during the “Final Four” tournament in the MOSiR hall in Zielona Góra (December 8-10).
“We believe that the funds we have committed will transfer into greater interest in tennis in Poland, popularization of this sport, and a definitely better and more active life of all Poles,” Olgierd Cieślik, Totalizator Sportowy’s Chairman of the Board, pointed out.
The LOTTO SuperLeague games, whose title partner is Totalizator Sportowy – the owner of the LOTTO brand, will be organized by SuperLiga S.A. Eight clubs from the first and second leagues will compete in parallel, as well as juniors under 10 as part of the KidsCUP Tour.
“This is a project with a huge budget and impetus. The Polish team champion will get 700 thousand zlotys, the vice-champion – 500 thousand, the third team – 300 thousand, and the fourth – 250 thousand. The clubs will be able to invest this money in their development,” said Danuta Dmowska-Andrzejuk, President of the Management Board of SuperLiga S.A.
Artur Bochenek disclosed that during the backstage talks, he found out that the clubs, which will start in LOTTO SuperLiga, have already contracted players from the top 100 of ATP and WTA rankings.
“We know that there are attractive figures for Polish and world tennis fans, and we will see them already in the regular round. However, we are waiting for the second transfer window, before the Final Four in Zielona Góra, because miracles may happen there, and as miracles we will consider the participation of players from the top 30, 20 in the world tennis at the tournament in Poland,” he noted.
Danuta Dmowska – Andrzejuk explained that the matches will be played in a completely new formula.
“What sets us apart is that we start the game with women’s singles, then men’s singles, women’s doubles, men’s doubles, and if there is a tie, the women will play together with the men in mixed pairs – and you know that when a man and a woman step out on the court, the strength of the team will be determined by the woman,” she pointed out.
The most interesting matches will be broadcast live by Polsat Sport during tournament Sundays, and the remaining ones will be broadcast via streaming, which will also include the junior KidsCUP games.
The final LOTTO SuperLeague line-up will be announced soon. So far, the following clubs have been in it: Górnik Bytom, Centralny Klub Tenisowy Grodzisk Mazowiecki, BKT Advantage Bielsko-Biała, AZS Poznań, Olimpia Poznań and UKS Beskidy Ustroń.
In Mirosław Skrzypczyński’s opinion, thanks to LOTTO SuperLeague Polish tennis will follow a new path, new branches of club financing will develop, but most of all the clubs will be able to afford to train young people, which has been lacking until now.
Olgierd Cieślik hopes that the funds involved will transfer into both good recognition of the LOTTO product brand and greater interest in tennis in Poland.
“Totalizator Sportowy with its LOTTO brand has been with the Polish Tennis Federation for several years. We are committed to the development of tennis, including through the organization of the National Tennis Day, because we believe that the popularization of this sport will positively affect the physical condition of the Poles, which is very important, especially in this difficult, pandemic period” – he stressed.
The President of Totalizator Sportowy’s Management Board has indicated that LOTTO SuperLeague is a multidimensional project, where, in addition to involvement in professional games, it is also possible to showcase facilities renovated with Totalizator Sportowy’s funding, and where both Super League and tennis leagues I and II will be held.