INTENNSE Hosts First-Ever Pro Tennis Draft at RacquetX

Under the bright lights of the Broward County Convention Center, tennis experienced something it had never seen before.

At RacquetX, INTENNSE hosted the first professional tennis draft in history, marking another bold step in the league’s effort to rethink how the sport can be structured, consumed, and experienced.

“We believe it’s the first in the world,” said Barry Fulcher, League Commissioner of INTENNSE. “From a tennis perspective, there’s never been anything like this. We’re starting with a blank canvas.”

With no obligation to follow tennis’ long-standing structures, INTENNSE has experimented with formats, match presentation, and rules designed to create faster, more engaging competition. A staple of major American sports leagues, the addition of a draft adds a fresh layer of strategy, storytelling, and anticipation.

And for the players, it offers something even more meaningful. A new opportunity to play professional tennis.

Growth Comes Quickly for Sport's Newest League

The scale of INTENNSE’s second season underscores how quickly the concept is gaining traction.

After debuting with just three teams and 18 players, the league’s second season will feature 10 teams and 80 professional players.

“It’s been amazing to see it grow so quickly,” Fulcher said. “It’s like a snowball effect. In the final days of applications being open, some of our strongest players applied. Word was clearly spreading.”

In total, 373 players applied, representing more than a 700% increase from season one.

The talent pool includes a wide array of competitors from recent college graduates to players ranked inside the world’s top 500.

Unlike how the teams were decided in season one, the draft allows coaches to build rosters entirely from scratch to add both unpredictability and strategic intrigue.

“They’ll be selecting their full rosters live,” said Fulcher. “Some coaches will know certain players well. Others they won’t. So we’re encouraging them to scout and strategize. It all creates a completely new dynamic.”

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Welcome to the INTENNSE Draft

With fans, players, and industry leaders in attendance, the INTENNSE draft was a huge triumph for the sport as it secured its place in tennis history. Despite some minor hiccups which are to be expected for an inaugural event, the setup and execution was reminiscent of something like the NFL or NBA draft.

And that's no coincedence. The league has emphasized production value, storytelling, and fan experience as core pillars of its growth strategy both in-person and through its digital broadcasts.

But what really stood out was the genuine joy and excitement from players as they achieved the next step in their tennis career. For a sport that's journey can be lonely and disheartening at the pro level, INTENNSE brought a feeling of togetherness and euphoria for players joining a team format usually only reserved for college.

As the event kicked off, there was a buzz in the crowd about who would go #1 overall. That honor fell to Karue Sell.

"It feels really cool. Honestly, I think the draft could have gone either way. There are a lot of great players," said #1 draft pick Karue Sell. "I am excited to be in the league and play regardless if I am #1 or not. The matchups are going to be interesting with how you build the team and make substitutions. It's a whole new way of thinking about tennis."

Building Toward the Future

The draft is just one step in INTENNSE’s long-term expansion plans.

The league intends to eventually expand to 18 teams across multiple hub cities before transitioning to a traditional home-and-away league structure that will span across the country in a western and eastern division.

For now, the focus remains on refining the product and proving that new formats can resonate with modern sports audiences.

As it enters its second season, INTENNSE offers tennis a rare opportunity to rethink how the sport connects with modern fans. Today’s audiences are gravitating toward faster formats, more accessible storytelling, and content designed for the TikTok era.

The league is building that product in real time. Whether widespread fan support follows remains to be seen, however, with a talented team continuing to execute behind the scenes, INTENNSE is increasingly positioning itself as a legitimate long-term force in professional tennis.