India's top tennis stars led by World No 1 one doubles player Sania Mirza, Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi will join the legendary Martina Navratilova to play an exhibition match in the capital on November 27, in a rare appearance together, 

The quartet will play in four cities in a four 'Test' series and conduct clinics for budding players before the matches. Kolkata, Bangalore and Hyderabad are also expected play host to these events.

Sania and Bhupathi, who won two Grand Slam titles together, will take on the pairing of Paes and 58-year-old Navratilova.

The initiative was taken by the players themselves in their bid to promote tennis in the country. It has been learnt that Sania and Leander discussed it first and then spoke to Bhupathi about the initiative.

"Yes, we are preparing for the big day. It's great that players thought about such an initiative. We are gearing up to host the match," Col. Ranbir Chauhan, DLTA Director (Operations) said on the sidelines of sub-junior national tennis championship.

The match will be a three-set affair and the organisers have planned to conduct it in the evening so that more people can be drawn into the R K Khanna stadium.

Image: Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza

Photograph: Getty Images