Jakarta. What started as a hobby for a former banker from Ukraine has turned into one of Indonesia’s fastest-growing racket sports communities. Meet Dmitry Shcherbakov, founder of Liga.Tennis, a Bali-born sports platform that has evolved from a simple tennis-matching app into a full-fledged sports lifestyle brand  now embracing tennis, padel, and pickleball under one banner.

“I never touched a tennis racket before 2016,” Dmitry told The Jakarta Globe. “I was 32, and my friend offered me a free tennis lesson. I was skeptical at first and now it’s my life.”

That one lesson in Denpasar with coach Jordan Sanchez, who now serves as Liga.Tennis’ Director, changed everything. Within months, Dmitry was playing five times a week and soon began imagining a digital platform to connect tennis players across Bali.

Liga.Tennis was born, quite literally, on February 14, 2017, the same day Dmitry’s son, Justin Valentine, was delivered. “From the delivery room, I told the programmer, ‘Make it live,’” Dmitry laughed. “That’s how Liga.Tennis went online.”

Within months, thousands of users joined the website without any marketing budget. What started as a community space soon turned into something bigger: the idea of building a home for Bali’s tennis enthusiasts.

“I realized Bali had so many tennis courts but no place where people could meet,” he said. “We needed a real club, not just an app.”

With limited funds and an investor who suddenly backed out, Dmitry and his Indonesian wife, Ayu, decided to take a bold leap. They mortgaged their own home to build Liga.Tennis Umalas in Canggu their first physical club. “It was all or nothing,” he said. “We just believed in it.”

That faith paid off. In 2019, Novak Djokovic, the world’s top tennis player, visited Liga.Tennis Umalas, instantly putting Indonesia on the global tennis map. “When Djokovic came and posted about our club, people everywhere were like, ‘Wait, Indonesia has a tennis club?’” Dmitry recalled.

Even during the pandemic, tennis thrived as a naturally distanced sport. Liga.Tennis kept its courts open and became busier than ever. Soon after, Dmitry expanded the brand with another facility in Sanur, introducing new amenities like a gym, pool, and dance studio.

But as Liga.Tennis grew, Dmitry and his team realized their true niche was racket sports, not general fitness. That focus led them to introduce padel, a fast-rising sport similar to tennis but played on a smaller enclosed court.

“We were the second-ever padel club in Indonesia,” he said. “It made sense, tennis, padel, and now pickleball are all part of one family.”

For example, among others upcoming under-construction clubs, Liga.Tennis Uluwatu club, set to open, reflects that evolution. The facility will feature two covered tennis courts, four covered padel courts, and five pickleball courts, a complete hub for racket sport lovers.

Yet for Dmitry, the goal remains the same: building community through sport, not profit. “I guarantee you, it was never about money,” he said. “I just wanted a place where people could meet, play, and feel inspired.”

Today, Liga.Tennis stands as more than a club, it’s a symbol of passion, resilience, and love for the game. “The king of racket sports will always be tennis,” Dmitry said. “But at the end of the day, it’s not about which sport you play. it’s about the joy of playing together.”