IPTL: Defending champs Indian Aces open Dubai leg with 25-18 win over Japan Warriors

Defending champions Indian Aces started the Dubai leg of the International Tennis Premier League (IPTL) with a comprehensive 25-18 win against Japan Warriors.

With the win, the Aces remain atop the leader board with seven wins from eight matches on Monday.

However, it was not an easy start for the Aces as in the mixed doubles event, which kick-started the contest, Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna struggled a bit against the first-time pairing of Kirsten Flipkens and Pierre-Hugues Herbert who won the set 6-4.

The Aces, however, came back strongly in the women’s singles as it witnessed Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska walking away with the set 6-1 in quick time against Mirjana Lucic-Baroni.

In the men’s legends set, it was again the Aces who dominated it as Fabrice Santoro made easy meat of Thomas Enqvist beating him 6-0 in only 20 minutes.

Next it was Rohan Bopanna and Ivan Dodig’s turn to clinch a thriller for their side as they edged past Warriors’ duo of Leander Paes and Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-5.

Bernard Tomic who was making his debut for the Aces found it difficult to adjust to the conditions and lost to Philipp Kohlschreiber who bagged the set 6-3 in the men’s singles event.

In Monday’s other match, team Philippine Mavericks’ Ivo Karlovic defeated 17-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer 6-4 in the men’s singles to lead his team to a 26-24 win against UAE Royals.

The legends singles saw Mavericks’ James Blake defeat Goran Ivanisevic 6-5. In the women’s singles, Royals’ Kristina Mladenovic registered a 6-2 win against Ajla Tomjlanovic.

Mavericks’ Jarmila Gajdosova-Edouard Roger-Vasselin won the mixed doubles match 6-5 against Mladenovic-Marin Cilic.

Treat Huey-Roger-Vasselin delivered a superb 6-4 win for the Mavericks against the strong pairing of Federer-Cilic for the Royals in the men’s doubles.

IANS