ROGER FEDERER THRILLS NEW DELHI CROWD, DJOKOVIC’S TEAM GETS WIN @ IPTL TENNIS IN INDIA BY RICKY DIMON

Roger Federer’s appearance in the International Premier Tennis League was short but sweet as he joined the Micromax Indian Aces to treat the New Delhi fans to enjoyable, entertaining action on Sunday and Monday. Federer played six sets–the maximum three in each of the two matches–and won five of them.

 

His IPTL debut came on Sunday against the last-place Singapore Slammers, whom the Aces defeated 26-16. The 17-time Grand Slam champion teamed up with Sania Mirza in mixed doubles to bagel Nick Kyrgios and Daniela Hantuchova 6-0, trounced Kyrgios and Lleyton Hewitt 6-1 in men’s doubles with Rohan Bopanna, and got the best of Tomas Berdych 6-4 in men’s singles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“My mind was scrambling trying to remember all the rules,” Federer explained. “It’s crazy, but it’s good fun.”

 

A shootout–basically a tiebreaker that lasts five minutes–is played if a set gets to 5-5. A super shootout, lasting seven minutes, is played if the two teams are tied after all five sets and it will be contested by the team’s top men’s singles participants. In every set each player gets to call one powerpoint against the opponent’s serve, which will count double.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“It’s not going to replace how we play the tour but it definitely has a place in our sport to have more interaction, more fun, and different rules,” Federer added. “You bend it, you customize it, and it works for everyone involved. It’s a very interesting concept.”

 

The world No. 2 lost his first set of the event on Monday when he and Mirza fell in mixed doubles 6-2 to Nenad Zimonjic and Kristina Mladenovic of the UAE Royals. Federer bounced back to win doubles with Gael Monfils 6-5 (shootout required) over Zimonjic and Novak Djokovic before beating Djokovic 6-5 in the concluding men’s singles match (another shootout required).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A raucous crowd clearly loved every minute of the tennis, no matter that the home team ultimately fell to the Royals 29-22.

 

Through nine matches for each side (three in the Philippines, three in Singapore, and three in India), the Aces are in the No. 1 spot with six wins, three losses, and 30 total points. The Royals and Manila Mavericks are tie for second with 27 points and the slumping Slammers are way in the back with 17.

 

The league will continue Thursday through Saturday in Dubai.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

Topics: Gael Monfils, IPTL, Micromax Indian Aces, New Delhi, Nick Kyrgios, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Sania Mirza, Tennis

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