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. [caption id=“attachment_1090865” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Bernard Tomic who was making his debut for the Aces found it difficult to adjust to the conditions. AFP[/caption] 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