XIX Entertainment, which represents tennis player Andy Murray, on Thursday announced an “intriguing new partnership with Globosport, the company run by" Indian tennis player Mahesh Bhupathi, to "explore business opportunities in China and India,” according to Kevin Mitchell of the GUARDIAN. Bhupathi “set tennis buzzing this week when it was confirmed he is chasing the signatures of the world's leading players to take part" in a tennis tournament across Asia similar to cricket's Indian Premier League "over three weeks in the November-December break at the end of the year.” Murray is “at the heart of those plans.” Murray is the “first signing” of XIX Globosport, a company XIX Entertainment Founder Simon Fuller “has formed with” Bhupathi. The impetus has “come from Fuller, who recently did a major deal with IMG for David Beckham in China.” Fuller and Bhupathi also have “brought on board the tennis agent and former Tour pro Ugo Colombini, ‘to provide on-the-ground tennis support and specialist resourcing’ for Murray” (GUARDIAN, 4/5).
