India's Sports Minister M.S Gill today inaugurated the latest venue completed for the Commonwealth Games, the refurbished R K Khanna Stadium.
The state-of-the-art stadium has a built-up area of 11,500 square kilometre and consists of 14 courts including a centre court and six match courts.
The centre court has spectator capacity of 5,200 while the number one court has a 1000-seater gallery with updated facilities for ball boys, technical officials, athletes and broadcasters.
A tennis playing facility since 1970, the sports complex had hosted the 1982 Asian Games among other events and now it has been given new look for the quadrennial multi-discipline event.
Gill said: "It will be an excellent venue for not only the coming Commonwealth Games but also for many more tournaments in future.
"I have no doubt that this stadium will measure up for the international standard."
Gill hopes that the new facilities will help the development of the sport in India.
He said: "I am happy that youngsters like Somdev Devvarman and Yuki Bhambri are coming up.
"While Somdev is the current and future hope for Indian tennis, Yuki is also doing quite well besides seniors like Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi.
Akhtar Ali, a member of the Indian team that reached the final of theDavis Cup in 1967 said: "All Indians should be proud to have such a beautiful tennis facility in the country.
"Now the players should give their 125 per cent to win gold in the Commonwealth Games."